Bittersweet Honey
by JJsGirl2
Summary: A stalker closes in on Honey as her graduation from law school nears. Can a group of Bob-Whites get to her in time?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

He stood in the shadow of the large oak tree across the street. Watching and waiting for her to come out of the brownstone apartment.

"You are mine, Madeleine Wheeler," he whispered, watching her through the window as he fingered the syringe in the pocket of his hooded sweatshirt. "Mine."

"At the Copa…Copa Cabana…the hottest spot north of Havana. At the Copa…Copa Cabana…Music and passion were always in fashion…At the Copa-a-a-a…They fell in love," Honey sang at the top of her lungs as she danced wildly around her living room. Barry Manilow kept singing from the CD player as Honey moved happily across the space.

"I am done with law school. I am done with law school," she sing-songed as she conga danced around the sofa. "Finally, I can go home. _Woo-Hoo!_" she hooted.

The song on the CD ended and _Mandy_ started in its place.

_I need food, _she thought. Glancing at the clock, she noticed it was 6:30. _Definitely time for dinner. Maybe a grilled cheese sandwich and some of Mr. Maypenny's hunter's stew from the freezer._ She turned and headed to the kitchen, turning down the sound system as she passed it.

Honey grabbed her cell phone and started to press two on her speed-dial. _Pooh! I can't call Trixie, _she frowned. _She and Jim are at Mead's Mountain._ She looked out the kitchen window at the shadowed back yard. _Double pooh! Now that I think about it, no one is home tonight._

As she set the cell phone down and turned toward the refrigerator, the phone rang.

Honey picked the phone up and checked the caller ID. Seeing her downstairs neighbor, Mike Clark's name, she grimaced. "Oops, the singing and dancing were a little too much for Mike," she muttered, clicking the phone on. "Hello."

"Hey, Honey, it's Mike. We got some mail for you today. I was just about to leave for work. I'm on at Mickey's in a half-hour and I need to return some books to the library first, so I thought I'd see if you wanted to pick it up."

"Sure. Your mom called about an hour ago and told me, but I was preoccupied. I'll be down in just a bit," Honey replied. "Your mom sounded better. How's she feeling?"

"She's good," he answered. "She finally kicked that flu and went back to work yesterday."

"Great. I'll stop by and see her later," she said.

"How soon will you be packing up to head home?" Mike asked. "It's gonna be quiet around here without you." He added with a laugh, "And Barry Manilow."

Honey's cheeks blushed prettily. "Oh, you heard?" Hearing Mike's laugh, she answered, "My family is coming for graduation at the end of next week and they'll help me move home over that weekend."

Mike's voice quieted. "It won't be the same with you gone. I'll miss you when you go home."

"I'll miss you and your mom, too," she replied gently. "I'll keep in touch though." Glancing at her watch, she added, "You'd better get going or you'll be late for work."

"Crap," Mike exclaimed. "OK, I'll leave the mail in our front screen door. I've gotta book out the back to my scooter. I'll catch you later."

"I'll get the mail in a few minutes. Take care, Mike. Thanks." Honey clicked off the phone before she picked up the pile of mail from her own mailbox that she had tossed on the counter and began to flip through it.

A few minutes later, she glanced up from her bank statement to see what looked like a teenage boy with droopy pants and a black hooded sweatshirt walking down the sidewalk in front of the apartment.

"Oh darn," she murmured. "I forgot to get that mail from Mike." Honey slid on her shoes, grabbed her keys and popped out the door to jog down the front steps then through the gate and down the outside basement stairs.

She removed the envelopes from the screen door, then made her way back up the stairs sorting through the half-dozen pieces of mail. A big smile broke across her face when she recognized Brian's scribbled handwriting on a card envelope. Excitement coursed through her as she reached the sidewalk. A happy smile spread across her lips as she closed the stair gate and turned to continue up the stairs to the front door of the building.

As she moved to place her foot on the bottom step, she was grabbed from behind and yanked off the stair. Her breath was knocked out of her lungs as she was pulled against her assailant's chest. Sudden fear coursed through Honey. She filled her lungs and screamed, "Help!"

Her attacker placed his gloved hand over her mouth to stop her screams and jerked her squirming backward along the sidewalk. _Think, _Honey ordered herself. _Think self-defense. _She stopped fighting and went limp.

Her assailant stopped moving, dropped one arm to place a hand in his pocket. A syringe glittered in the waning sunlight as he flicked the cover off the needle. His raspy voice whispered, "Madeleine?"

Honey suddenly stood straight and jammed her elbow into his stomach, knocking him off balance. She yelled, "Help me please. I'm being attacked." Honey kept screaming for help even as she fought the attacker.

Once again, he grabbed her from behind and brought the syringe up by her face. Desperately, she managed to bite down on his wrist hard enough that he dropped the needle.

She stepped down on his instep with the heel of her shoe. He grunted in pain and loosened his hold long enough for her to reach behind, then grab and sink her nails into him. Coming into contact with soft tissue, Honey squeezed hard and twisted.

An agonized scream pierced the night air as the attacker hit Honey in the shoulder to break her hold. He pushed her away into the iron railing around the stairs to the basement apartment and fell to his knees, crying out in pain.

"Hey, you!" an angry voice shouted from down the block.

Honey groaned as she held her head.

The hooded attacker looked up to see an old man running at him brandishing a baseball bat. He cried out as he slowly stood up. Then, he took one more glance at Honey and limped away as quickly as he could.

It was pouring rain in Ithaca as Trixie and Jim drove from the airport toward Honey's apartment. The tension in his neck as he maneuvered the unfamiliar vehicle was fueled by Trixie's fingers drumming on the console of the SUV. The only peaceful occupant of the vehicle was Sherlock quietly dozing in her kennel in the backseat. Slowing to just under the speed limit, he took her hand gently in his.

"Trix," he said gently, folding his large hand around her tapping fingers. "We'll be there soon. Try not to worry."

The warmth of Jim's hand relaxed her and Trixie changed her angle in the seat to look at him. "I'll try, Jim, but Honey being hurt just makes me so mad and scared." She frowned. "All those phone calls from various numbers but all the same voice and message." Running her fingers through her curls in frustration, Trixie continued, "I can't help but think about everything. The last three text messages concern me, too. How would he even know Brian exists? It's not like he has visited Honey in Ithaca a lot or anything."

He withdrew his hand from Trixie's to exit the highway. "Baby, tell me what the guy said on the phone and in the texts," Jim requested, as he stopped at the end of the off-ramp.

Trixie pulled a notebook PC from her briefcase and booted it up. She then pulled a thumb drive out of the pocket of her jeans. Once the PC was ready, she plugged in the drive and opened a file named 'Bee Keeper'. Glancing up quickly to see where they were, Trixie began to read from the file.

"First contact, Saturday, February twenty-fifth. Subject called Bee, said nothing and Bee disconnected the line. Approximately, thirty minutes later the suspect called Bee again and said 'You shouldn't throw yourself at men. That's cheap. You supposed to be a lady not a cheap tart'. Bee replied, quote, '_Who are you? What right do you have to talk to me this way?'_ end quote. Suspect responded, quote, _'I'm the man for you. You need to act like it and not throw yourself at unworthy men'_ end quote."

"Saturday the twenty-fifth … What happened that day? Why would this jerk say Honey was throwing herself at men?" Jim asked, confused.

Trixie moved and clicked the computer mouse. "One sec and I'll tell you." She typed and clicked some more. "I thought so," she cried.

"What?" Jim queried with a glance at her.

"I had to open my calendar but February twenty-fifth is the day we went in search of that toxic mermaid dress for Sally's bridesmaids."

"Those dresses _were_ a crime," he said with a grimace, turning off the road into the residential neighborhood. "What else do you have?"

Trixie snorted. "You got that right." Picking the laptop back up, she began, "The next contact was during Ben's and Sally's wedding. Honey's phone received a text while she was waiting in the vestibule to enter. The text read and I quote, 'U R MY mermaid. I s/b escorting U'." Studying the computer file, she looked up at Jim and noted, "Whoever it is, they were either at the wedding or nearby in order to know about that ugly bridesmaid dress." Trixie frowned deeply. "I know for a fact that there are no individual pictures of you or Honey in your wedding attire; only pictures of you both buried in a crowd behind others." A quick smile popped onto her face. "I'll never forget the look on that poor photographer's face when Maddie offered him money to delete any picture or splice out any frame of the video of just you or Honey."

Jim laughed at the memory. "Mother and Dad do make a formidable team. Just like we do."

Trixie flashed a brilliant smile at Jim and ran her hand along his thigh. "That we do, my love," she agreed.

Jim's eyes darkened as he said softly, "Trix, we're going to have a wreck."

Trixie slowly withdrew her hand and said throatily, "We'll continue this later, Jim Frayne."

Groaning, Jim muttered, "I hope I can live until then." He shook his head as if to clear it. "OK, back on task. We need to focus on Honey and her stalker," he said firmly.

"Right," Trixie concurred as she sat up straight in the seat. Looking back at the laptop, she read, "The next text was during the reception. It said quote 'Stay away from him'. Honey had been dancing with Brian the whole time, so it could only be him that the suspect meant." Trixie studied Jim to see his reaction. "Those were the texts during the wedding. However, Honey's bouquet went missing. We assumed one of the young girls took it, but both Bess and Tess denied it. We never found it. I don't know for sure he took it, but it sounds like something the creep would do."

"Well, he appears to think Honey is his property or girlfriend and that she shouldn't have anything to do with any other guy," Jim said with a small frown. "Tell me the rest, baby."

"There wasn't any activity by the suspect until the last two weeks," Trixie said reading through the notes. "Two weeks ago, when you were gone with your dad to London, the rest of the Bob-Whites plus Bonnie went to Honey's to pick up a load of her stuff to take back to the Manor House. Since graduation is next week and Honey's lease is up in two weeks, it seemed like a good idea. If we had your car now, we'd probably be drafted to take a load back with us when we go," she said with a shrug.

"I'm sorry I missed out on the trip," Jim smirked. "It would have been worth missing out on visiting with the Headmaster of Eaton House to see Mart land in that mud puddle. I'm just glad you and Brian got pictures on your phones."

Trixie giggled and said, "He looked like he'd been in a pigpen. When he tripped over his own shoelace and tossed that box of dishes to Dan, then fell into that mud face first…it was awesome!"

"He sure looked unhappy in the pictures. I need to give him grief about having to wear one of Honey's sleep tees and a pair of her baggy sweat pants home," Jim agreed with a chuckle. "So what happened that weekend?" Jim asked, making the turn onto the street where Honey's brownstone apartment was located.

Trixie's face drooped into a frown. "After we got everything loaded up to head out, Honey and I were sitting on the stoop of the building waiting for Brian to get done in the bathroom so we could leave. He came outside and leaned in and wrapped his arms around both of us. He was acting all silly and crazy, so he gave both of us a smacking kiss on the cheek," she said, reminiscing. "Her phone rang. She looked at the caller ID and her face went white as a sheet. I noticed the number was the same so I leaned in to listen when she answered." Trixie's hands clenched into fists as she continued. "The bastard called her a whore and told her she shouldn't let just anyone kiss her. She should quote 'save yourself for your true love, me' end quote."

Jim's knuckles were white from gripping the steering wheel in anger. Gruffly he asked, "He called her a whore?"

"Yes," Trixie confirmed with a nod.

"That son of a –." Jim started before Trixie cut him off.

"Jim, it's OK," she soothed. "When we catch this guy, he won't be able to do this again. Your mother and dad are mad and upset enough without us adding fuel to the situation. We'll get him," she said, as a promise.

"Then what happened?" Jim demanded fiercely.

Knowing that Jim wouldn't like it if she didn't tell him everything, she picked up the story. "I signaled to Dan to look around and then, as carefully as possible so as not to tip our hand, I asked everyone else to help out," she said quietly. "We didn't see anything out of the ordinary so we made sure Honey's apartment was locked. We told the Super to keep an eye out and headed for the Manor House. Honey spent the weekend at home with me staying with her and then that security company your dad uses was supposed to patrol and keep watch after I got her back here," she concluded.

Trixie looked over at Jim noticing the scowl on his face and the hard look to his eyes. She slowly reached out her hand and ran it up and down his thigh to soothe him, as one would a child. Watching carefully, Trixie saw the muscles in Jim's jaw and neck relax as the scowl left his face.

She stopped moving her hand and just left it on his thigh. Trixie looked around and realized they were almost to Honey's.

Heaving a heavy sigh, Jim said softly, "Tell me the rest of it, babe."

Trixie took a deep breath before responding. "The two calls this past week were exactly the same. The suspect called after Honey left the law library and said quote, 'You are mine and you always will be. Graduation doesn't mean you can dump me' end quote. Honey has one call as a voice mail. Your mother got the cell phone provider to tag and trace all calls after the weekend we were up here." Smiling at Maddie's move, Trixie commented wryly, "I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the Hart family trust is a majority owner of the cell company."

"Trixie, even I don't know everything Mother and Dad own," Jim said shaking his head. "So tell me about the last two texts," Jim requested wanting to know everything before seeing Honey. Pulling the car to the curb at Honey's apartment, Jim turned off the SUV and turned in his seat to look at Trixie.

"Here, Jim," Trixie said holding out the notebook PC. "Look for yourself." After Jim took the PC, Trixie added quietly, "The first text came last Monday and the other on my birthday. The security company was supposed to step up their efforts."

Jim read the screen and felt his heart speed up in anger. The file showed the text from Monday stated 'U won't get away' and the latest said 'U'll die w/o me'. Closing his eyes, Jim counted to thirty before he felt Trixie wrap her arms around him.

"We'll protect her and your family from whoever this crazy person is and get him, Jim," Trixie vowed as she placed a kiss on his lips. "We'll get him."

"Damn straight," Jim agreed.

Trixie cautiously surveyed the area around Honey's apartment as they walked Sherlock toward the door. The rain had finally stopped, but the sky remained an ominous gray. In the park across the street, she noticed a guy a little younger than her reading a book. He caught her attention because of the dark sunglasses and ball cap pulled low over his eyes. Periodically, he raised his head and glanced around before returning his eyes to the book.

Trixie touched Jim's arm, which was carrying Sherlock's kennel, and indicated where to look with her eyes. Jim glanced that way and then reached out to knock on Honey's door.

The door opened on a chain to show the face of a dark-skinned man. "You must be Trixie and Jim. We got a complete dossier of everyone legitimately connected to Ms. Wheeler. I still need to see ID please."

Jim and Trixie both showed the man their ID. Inside the apartment, Matthew Wheeler yelled, "Wilson, let my son and Trixie in immediately."

Rolling his eyes, the man shut the door enough to release the chain before swinging it wide for Jim, Trixie and Sherlock to enter. "Please come in," the giant of a man said, waving them into the apartment. He was at least six-foot-six and built like a football running back. His arms were bigger around than Trixie's head. After they were inside, he shut and relocked the door. "I'm Wilson. I work for Jason Marlow as a guard for Ms. Wheeler," he said motioning them toward the couch. "It's OK, Carmelita. Ms. Wheeler can come out now."

Jim placed the dog kennel by the entry table, took Sherlock's leash and let the pup loose. He had no sooner placed the leash on the table when Honey flew into the hall followed closely by a woman who looked like a cross between Salma Hayek and Laura Croft. Honey hugged Trixie fiercely and then moved to hug Jim just as hard.

"I guess you met Wilson," Honey said from her place between Jim and Trixie. Indicating the woman, she said, "This is Carmelita Chavez, my new personal bodyguard that Daddy hired for me. She and Wilson both work for Jason Marlow, Daddy's friend." Looking at her brother, she added, "You remember him, don't you, Jim? Daddy had him over for dinner last summer."

Jim was staring open-mouth at Carmelita. Honey poked him in the ribs with an elbow. "What? Oh, yeah," Jim stammered shifting his gaze to see Trixie frowning and Honey glaring at him. "I remember he and Dad went into the den and didn't come out for hours," Jim said with an apologetic look. Stepping around Honey, Jim placed one arm around Trixie and the other around Honey's shoulders.

A laugh poorly disguised as a cough was heard from the living room. "Come in here and sit down so we can discuss this situation and make plans," Matt called.

Trixie glared up at Jim. He leaned near and whispered, "I may have looked briefly but she's nothing compared to you. I love you and don't you ever forget it."

Trixie sniffed and tossed her curls over her shoulder. "You'd better. I have a gun, I'm an FBI special agent, plus I have three brothers and a dad who will hurt you if you hurt me," she whispered back, poking him in the chest. "That beats a beautiful PI in the poker game of life."

"My love, no one is more beautiful to me than you. You are my life. I don't need anyone or anything else," Jim said softly with a kiss on her brow.

Honey glanced at Wilson and Carmelita then back at Jim and Trixie. "Carmelita, this is my brother, Jim Frayne, and my best friend, who is also his girlfriend, Trixie Belden. And this furry piece of love is their dog, Sherlock," she leaned over to pet the dog on her head. As she straightened her face was pale. "I guess I shouldn't lean over like that. It makes me a little woozy. As I was saying, we'll be in the living room with Mother and Daddy," Honey said glancing at the woman. "Why don't you two take a break?"

Wilson snapped to attention and instantly spoke. "Ms. Wheeler, our orders are to not leave you alone, at any time, with _anyone_. I think that means _everyone_."

"Wilson," Trixie stepped toward him and showed him her FBI badge and revealed the gun at her waist. "I think I have this under control. Honey needs her family for awhile. OK?"

"I'll be perfectly fine with my family," Honey agreed quietly. "Please leave us."

Wilson grunted out, "Ms. Wheeler, I'll be in the kitchen and Carmelita is going to lie down but that is as far as we go. You don't leave this apartment; go near the windows or anything. This is for your safety. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Honey sighed before she walked over and flopped gracefully onto the couch.

Trixie, Jim and Sherlock greeted Matt and Maddie before Jim sat beside Honey and pulled Trixie down beside him. She promptly turned to sit cross-legged looking at Honey across Jim.

"OK, Wheeler," Trixie ordered, looking worriedly at her friend. "Spill it."

Honey sighed loudly before sitting up and assuming the same position as Trixie. Sherlock jumped up and settled into her lap.

Jim looked at his sister then his girlfriend as they stared at each other. Seeing the worry and confusion on their faces made his heart beat faster as his own concern grew. He picked up a hand from each woman and sandwiched them between his own.

As one hand stroked Sherlock's soft fur, Honey licked her lips, blew out a breath and recapped everything that Trixie had said in the vehicle on the way to town. She added, "The last two texts came yesterday. I guess you know they said, 'you won't get away' and 'you'll die without me'." Shaking her head and nervously chewing on a cuticle, Honey stated, "Yesterday was just a normal day. I took my final classes in the morning and worked at the law office library in the afternoon. I only spoke to Wilson, Professor Baxter and David Roberts."

"Did you check out the security firm and these peoples' backgrounds?" Trixie softly questioned Matt with a frown.

"Wilson and Carmelita are all clean and have worked for Jason for years. I had Dan run them for us, Trixie. I wanted to have it done while you were clearing your calendar at work to go on vacation with Jim," Matt answered.

"I could have run them," Trixie argued, stiffening. "I could have set them to run while I finished up the Anderson court documents."

Jim explained softly, "Baby, Dad knew you had a lot to do in a short time. He and Mother wanted us to be able to go to Mead's Mountain. He had Dan run these people and then Dan asked Cooper to run them, too." Soft green eyes stared into blue, as he assured, "I think right now we need you to focus on this guy after Honey and not the bodyguards. This needs the two best detectives there are working on it. The Belden-Wheeler Detective Agency needs to be fully focused on this case. I need my sister to be protected, to graduate law school with honors and for this bozo to go to jail. That's what I need you to do for me, baby." Leaning in, Jim gave Trixie a quick peck on the lips.

Trixie snorted and rolled her eyes. "Damn, Frayne, how did you turn me into such a soft touch? Sheesh!"

The room broke out in laughter.

The tension that Honey had been feeling while repeating the stalker's contacts drained away as she laughed. As she watched her brother and best friend snuggle close for a minute and share a secret smile, Honey felt an ache of loneliness. _I wish I had someone to love like they love each other,_ Honey thought with envy. _Of course, they've been in love which each other forever and are just lucky they didn't lose one another. I wonder if Br-_

"Honey, I asked you a question," Trixie pointed out.

Honey blushed and replied, "Sorry, Trixie, I wasn't paying attention. What did you ask?"

Trixie studied her friend for a second, then asked, "Honey, I asked if you would write down all of the information you can about Professor Baxter, David Roberts and the other people at your office for me so I can get it to Cooper. I did a quick search on them but I want Cooper to run a more detailed one."

"Oh, Trixie, I've already done that. The paper is on the desk by the phone," Honey answered, pointing across the room.

"Great," Trixie exclaimed, jumping up from the couch and moving to the desk. As Trixie picked up the paper to read over it, another question came to her mind. Looking across the room toward the couch, she queried, "Honey, where should Jim put our overnight bags? We left them in the car because we were too anxious to see you."

Honey sighed and turned to face Trixie. "My apartment has always been big enough for several guests but with Wilson and Carmelita here," Honey began. "Well, I have to admit, it is full. Daddy sent Tom and Regan after my bedroom set last week because he didn't want movers to scratch it up again. The apartment is available furnished so I had the landlord bring in beds for the master and guest bedroom. Wilson and Carmelita are using the third bedroom as a command post." Setting Sherlock in Jim's lap, Honey stood and walked around the room stretching out her sore muscles. "As it is, Carmelita and Wilson are sleeping in shifts. Mother and Daddy wanted to stay here, but they didn't want to take my bed and have me sleep on an air mattress on the floor or on the couch. In any case, I don't have a place for you to sleep," Honey revealed tiredly.

Maddie stood and placed an arm protectively around her daughter. "Darling, don't you worry about that. It's early afternoon, so there is plenty of time to figure it out. You look tired. I think you should lie down and rest for a while. How's your head?"

"But Jim and Trixie just…" Honey began, but then admitted reluctantly, "My headache's back."

"We'll be here when you wake up," Jim interrupted, as he got to his feet. "Mother is right, sis. You need to rest." He glanced at Trixie with a wink. "Sherlock is tired, too. I think she'd like to lay down with you. Trixie will come get you in an hour."

Trixie immediately agreed. "Sure I will. In the meantime, I'll get this information to Cooper and we'll figure out where Jim and I will stay. Now, you girls go get settled so you can take your nap."

"OK. I am a little tired," Honey acknowledged. "Come on Sherlock. Nap time. We'll be back in a bit." She walked slowly down the hall with Sherlock trailing behind her.

The living room remained quiet until the door to Honey's bedroom softly closed.

"So, what do we really need to know?" Trixie insisted as soon as the bedroom door clicked. "How is Honey really?"

Matthew rubbed his hand across his face, trying to rid himself of fatigue. "Well, the neurologist has some concerns. It seems Honey was unconscious when the ambulance got to the hospital. She was still rather comatose when Maddie and I arrived just before midnight."

Grasping Matt's hand, Maddie continued, "She was in and out of consciousness until around 1:00 am. The doctors did a CT scan when she first arrived and they did another after she was alert. She still had some minor swelling, but the doctors said they aren't overly concerned. Her memory and recall are fine and she hasn't exhibited any effects of a concussion."

"She was dizzy when Trixie and I arrived. Isn't that a side effect of a concussion?" Jim asked.

Maddie squeezed Matt's hand. "Oh I think she was just lightheaded from bending over, don't you?"

"Maybe," Trixie said, reaching into her bag and taking out the notebook pc. "I've transferred all my notes into one file. I wanted to compare notes with the PIs." She started another file and listed the medical facts that Wheelers had told her. She was about to ask Wilson to come back into the room and give his impressions, when Sherlock began to bark frantically. Trixie was out of her seat within seconds and through Honey's bedroom door.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Honey's bed was empty and Sherlock was scratching at the adjoining bathroom door. Crossing the room, Trixie noted the drapes were still drawn. She checked quickly to make sure the windows were still closed and locked. As she was doing this she heard the unmistakable sounds of someone being sick to their stomach. Knocking softly on the door, she said, "Honey, it's Trix, can I come in?" Not waiting for answer, as the retching continued, Trixie opened the door. "It's OK, Sherlock. Go to Daddy."

Honey was sitting sideways on the floor, leaning back against the tub. She was pale and wan. Trixie had a quick flash to that frail, sickly girl she first met all those years ago. Just as she had when Honey fell while learning how to ride a bike and tore up her knee, Trixie wet a cloth and bathed her friend's wrists and forehead with the cool cloth. "Honey, are you OK?"

"I was trying to rest but the room was spinning so much, I started to get woozy. Next thing I knew I was getting sick," Honey said.

"My poor baby," Madeline Wheeler said, coming into the bathroom. "Let's get you cleaned up and into a new shirt. Would you like to take a hot shower?"

"I'm still a little unsteady, so maybe just getting cleaned up and a change of shirts would be best," Honey admitted.

Trixie started backing out of the bathroom. "I'll get out of your way. I know you and Maddie have this all under control. I'll see you back in the living room. Would you like some tea?"

Honey laughed softly. "You all act as if I'm dying. I'm just a little dizzy. Thank you for worrying about me. I'll tell you what I would like. I'd like a large glass of peach iced tea, please."

"You've got it! If there's none in the cupboards, I'll send Jim out to get some," Trixie said, smiling at her dearest friend, as she shut the bedroom door behind her.

Maddie and Honey looked at each other and laughed at the same wicked thought, "_Jim, dear, would you please go get some peach tea for Honey?…_" Maddie said in a silly voice. "Who would have ever thought those two would turn so domestic?" she asked, rolling her eyes. "You wash up, but sit down first please, and I'll get you a clean shirt."

"Thank you, Mother," Honey said softly, as she lowered herself onto the edge of the tub.

Trixie walked back into the living room to see two red heads in deep, quiet conversation. Sandwiched between the two, sitting on the sofa, was Sherlock, looking back and forth as the men carried on their discussion. The dog's head was swinging back and forth, like she was watching a tennis match. However, as soon as she sensed Trixie, the pup was off the sofa in a flash and across the room to greet her.

"So, have you two solved all the world's problems yet?" Trixie teased. "You always look so serious when you talk about anything. It must come from all the boardroom work, Matt."

"We figured we'd just be in the way, baby. How is Honey?" Jim asked.

Taking a thoughtful pause, she answered, "Honey got nauseous as she was resting and she wound up getting sick to her stomach. She has requested peach iced tea. I was going to see if she had any in the cupboards."

"If she doesn't, I'll run down to the corner market and get some," Jim volunteered.

After checking the kitchen, and not finding any of the requested tea, Trixie said, "I can't find any. Wanna take Sherlock for a walk with me and we can go get some?"

"Sure, let me get her leash. Sherlock, walk," Jim said, standing up, getting the leash and clipping it to Sherlock's pink collar. Bending his elbow towards Trixie, he said, "Shall we?"

Smiling sweetly at his antics, Trixie called over her shoulder to Matt, "We won't be long." She signaled to Wilson and opened the door. They walked down the brownstone's steps.

Holding tightly to the leash with his left hand, Jim twined the fingers of his right hand with Trixie's and said, "So, Shamus, why did we need to leave?"

Trixie smiled, grasped their joined hands with her free one and leaned into Jim's shoulder. "Can't get one past you, can I?"

"Hope not. So spill."

"I'm really worried about Honey. The headaches, dizziness and nausea have me concerned. So I wanted to get a medical opinion," Trixie admitted.

Jim squeezed their joined hands. "Going to call our resident Resident?"

"That was my plan. I know pediatrics is a far cry from neurology, but he's got to understand it better than I do," Trixie replied.

During their conversation, they had walked down the street and Trixie looked up to find that they were standing outside the mini-mart on the corner. Turning around, she saw Mr. Khan's newspaper stand. She was about to beg Jim to let her stay outside, when he said, "Sweetie, why don't you and Sherlock go talk to Mr. Khan and I'll run inside."

Trixie sighed, "Have I told you lately that I love you?" She stood on tiptoe and kissed him gently.

"You can tell me that anytime." Jim leaned down, cupped her cheek and kissed her deeply. "Be right back."

Trixie introduced herself to Mr. Khan, not only as Honey's long-time friend, but as a federal agent. Mr. Khan related the same information that Matt had shared over the phone the night before. He had seen an older two-door sedan drive out of the alley and go down the street. He thought it was silver and didn't get a license plate number. Trixie thanked him, and gave him her business card, requesting he call her if he should think of anything else.

Walking a short distance from the newspaper stand, she pulled her phone from her pocket and sat down on the steps of a nearby building. Hitting speed dial, she listened to the ringing, waiting for Brian to pick up.

"Dr. Belden."

"Dr. Belden, SA Belden."

Brian chuckled. "Sorry, sis. I didn't even look at the caller ID. What's up?"

Trixie wanted to blurt out, '_Honey's been hurt!_', but she thought better of that. She decided to be purposefully vague. "Well, I need a little medical information...dumbed down, please...with as little medical mumbo jumbo as possible."

"OK, I'll try and give the Cliff's Notes version. What do you need to know?" Brian asked, smiling at the sense of humor of his younger sister.

"Well, what would be some typical after effects of head trauma?" Trixie asked.

Brian ran a hand through his thick hair. "Gosh, Trix, there's nothing typical about head trauma. A patient can present with anything from headaches to seizures." Knowing he'd get more information if he just let his sister do things her way, he refrained from asking more questions.

"What do your instincts say about a person who was knocked out, unconscious for a couple of hours, and now has headaches and has been nauseous?" Trixie posed.

"Let's see, you know it's all hypothetical without any other information. Each patient is different. But I would be more concerned with the current effects rather than those that presented immediately after the incident. Can I ask what the cause of the trauma was? Car accident?" Brian's brain was going a mile a minute trying to put the pieces together.

"No, not a car accident. Can I assume the violence of the trauma is proportional to the side effects? So someone who was, let's say, in a car accident might have more side effects than someone who fell and hit their head?" Trixie inquired.

The hairs on the back of Brian's neck began to stand on end, but he said calmly, "Again, not necessarily. OK, remember when you'd collect eggs. And you'd take the eggs and put them in the basket? You'd do it the same way every time, yet sometimes an egg would crack. You weren't rough, you didn't drop the basket. It was just that certain egg's shell didn't protect it as well as the others. Our brains are the same."

"That explains a lot about Mart," Trixie couldn't resist teasing. She bent down to give Sherlock's ear a scratch. "OK, so what I'm hearing is there are no typical aftereffects and it differs from person to person."

Jim came up and handed her a grocery bag and took Sherlock's leash. He gestured across the street to the small green space. Trixie nodded and blew a kiss to Jim. "Should I be worried about someone who, twenty-four hours after the trauma, is having headaches and nausea?"

There was a quaver in her voice that someone who didn't know her all her life might have missed, but not Brian. "Trix, who's hurt? What happened?" he asked in a gentle, yet persuasive voice.

She took a deep breath. "Honey was attacked yesterday. She lost consciousness for a short while. They released her from the hospital this morning. But she's still having headaches and she got sick to her stomach about a half hour ago."

"Oh my God. What happened? Did they catch the guy?" Brian stood up and began to pace the doctor's lounge.

"The police are still looking for him. Honey had a CT scan and the doctor said everything was OK, but I'm still worried,' Trixie admitted. "She's very pale and quiet."

Brian let out a pent up breath. "What else aren't you telling me?"

Trixie decided she needed to tell her oldest brother everything. "Honey's been getting threatening phone calls and text messages."

"How long, Trixie? How long has this been going on?" Brian said through clenched teeth.

"About three months." There was nothing else she could say. She knew how she would have felt if something had happened to Jim and no one told her. She also knew instinctively that Brian was hurt. He cared about Honey. Trixie knew that, even though they had never taken their friendship to a more personal level, they mattered to one another. Brian deserved all the facts. "At first the texts and calls were innocuous, but they started to develop in content and threat."

"Is there anything else?"

Trixie sighed. "Honey's noticed that small things are missing, but we're not sure they're related to this creep. He's never made any attempt to physically contact Honey that we are aware of, until yesterday."

"She's at home?" Brian asked, too quietly.

"Yes."

"OK, let me do a little research and clear up a few things. I'll call in a little while. For right now, let her rest but don't let her sleep too long. It's probably best if when she lies down, that she is slightly elevated, like a hospital bed would allow; like she would be doing if that inept doctor hadn't released her." The last was said under his breath, but Trixie could tell that her unflappable older brother wasn't as calm as he sounded.

"Thanks, Bri. Jim and I will be staying here in Ithaca until we decide what to do. Matt and Maddie are here, as well," Trixie said. "She's going to be OK, we'll make sure. It's what we do; we're Bob-Whites. Love you."

"Love you too. We'll talk soon. Bye."

"Bye." She waited until she heard Brian disconnect from the call. Sitting quietly on the steps, she sighed. _How did things get so complicated? Twenty-four hours ago I was laying by a pool in Vermont._

Jim and Sherlock crossed the street. Holding his hand out, he said, "Let's go, Shamus. Sherlock and I had an idea. We need to go discuss it with the rest of The Hive."

"'The_ Hive?'_" she asked, standing up and taking his hand.

"I was following the Bee theme. We're Honey's hive," Jim explained, swinging their joined hands as they climbed the stairs to the apartment.

"Jim Frayne?" Trixie said, stopping one step in front of him, placing her hands on his chest.

"Yes, sweetie."

"I. Love. You," she said, punctuating each word with a kiss.

He gazed at the beautiful blonde. "Love you. Now."

"Forever," Trixie injected.

"Always," Jim ended the conversation by capturing her mouth with hungry urgency. "Where are we staying?"

Trixie grinned wickedly. "The car?"

"No, not enough room." It began to drizzle again, as if the grey clouds were finally ready to release the rest of the pent-up rain. "Let's head in and we'll get it all figured out," Jim said, pulling her up the final two steps.

After making a batch of peach tea, Trixie poured some into glasses and carried the tray into the living room. The Hive, as Jim called it, was deep in discussion. Trixie had to snort at the new nickname. But, she reflected, it was an apt title. Honey was seated snuggly in the middle of the sofa, flanked by her parents. Jim had pulled up a chair close to their mother and was leaning in toward them. Honey was physically surrounded by her family, her hive.

Walking into the room with the tray of iced tea, she asked, in a very bad southern accent, "Would any of ya'll like some tay?"

Sherlock looked up from her comfy spot next to Honey and cocked her head at the strange voice coming from her mommy. "I know Sherlock; your momma's always been a little crazy," Honey teased.

"True, true, but we wouldn't want her any other way," Matt said, standing up before his son could. Taking the tray from her, he gestured to his now empty spot on the sofa. "Have a seat. We're trying to decide the best course of action." He placed the tray of iced tea on the coffee table and pulled up a chair.

Maddie gripped her daughter's hand tightly. "I think she should come back to the Manor House with us tonight. We can send movers to pack up your apartment."

"While I agree with you, Mother, that Honey would be safer in Sleepyside, I think it would be best for her to put closure on this part of her life. She's just finished with law school. She's getting ready to take the bar exam in July and she needs to finish out the last week of her internship at the law office," Jim reasoned. "I don't think Honey can just run away. It's just not her."

Maddie shook her head in denial. She started to open her mouth to protest, when Matt interjected, "Jim's right, dear. Honey needs to finish what she's started. But as the Bob-Whites have said over the years, 'Many hands make light work.' So, if we all pitched in, we could get her packed and back home. Besides, she has to be out of here in less than two weeks when her lease is up."

Honey looked at Trixie, who had been surprisingly silent. "What do you think, Trix?"

"Well, you know I'd love to say you'd be safe in Sleepyside. But we know that's where he first contacted you. He's going to follow you. We need to be prepared for that."

Wilson was leaning against the wall, listening to their conversation. Other people might feel like they were intruding on a private discussion. He didn't. He was paid to stick his nose, fists, or any other part of him anywhere necessary to protect a client. He was very good at his job. Unfortunately, he wasn't very tactful. "Agent Belden's right. The dude's not done. He's gonna be back." Wilson's gravelly voice shocked them.

Honey looked up and, as polite as ever, asked, "Wilson, would you like some iced tea?"

"No, thank you, Ms. Wheeler. I just wanted to update you. We got a call from Mr. Marlow. Looks like the car was a complete dead end. But the contents of the syringe turned out to be Versed. That means our guy is a doctor, dentist, vet or anyone who works in that kind of office who has access to the drug." Wilson pushed off the wall and crossed to the window. He looked outside and signaled to his associate in the park across the street. "I'm going to go out and confer with Jones to see if he's seen anything suspicious. Carmelita will stay inside here with you."

The mountain of a man walked gracefully out of the room, stopping at the guest room, he tapped on the door. "Chavez, I'm checking in with the tyro. See if the rookie's got anything besides a wet seat." He walked out the door and waited to hear the click of the lock.

After talking with his associate, who was assigned to the park across the street from Honey's brownstone, Wilson walked around the block, checking the perimeter of the area. Finding everything in place, he placed a call to Jason Marlow. "Just checking in, sir."

"How is Ms. Wheeler holding up?" Marlow asked.

"She's been with her family; resting, and generally taking it easy. She did get sick a bit earlier, but all in all she's doing well. Any prints on the syringe?"

"Nothing. Anything that might have been there was destroyed in the struggle. Have the Wheelers made a decision about what they want to do yet?" Marlow asked. "I told Matthew I'd call him tonight to find out what the next step is. But I want to know what my people on the scene think first."

Wilson leaned in a doorway, trying to stay dry. Out of habit he reached into his pocket for the pack of cigarettes that was no longer there. Even after five months, he still reached for a cigarette when he was stewing over a problem. "Well, the apartment here is secure, but Ms. Wheeler is going to get frustrated soon. I don't think we can keep her under wraps here for long. What do we know about this Trixie Belden?"

Jason Marlow rifled through folders on his desk, and pulled out one of the thicker ones, opened it and skimmed the contents. "She's been their neighbor since the Wheelers moved to Sleepyside. The kids all went to high school together. Did her undergraduate work at University of Virginia and roomed with Ms. Wheeler. After college she went to work for the FBI. She was at Quantico for two years, the academy and after that she was assigned to the field office there. Last year, she transferred to the field office in White Plains, New York. She's got a clean track record, been in on a few major cases. Great head on her shoulders, thinks well on her feet and could write her own ticket. But if I'm right, she'll finish her time with the FBI and then go into private security."

"Good to know. I got a good vibe from her. Think if Ms. Wheeler is with her, we won't have to worry so much," Wilson said, patting his pocket one last time, just in case a stray cigarette was hiding. "I'd better get back. Thanks for the intel. Talk to you soon." Putting his phone away, he jogged the last few yards in the drizzling mist.

Shortly after Wilson left, there was a knock on the front door. Jim, Trixie and Matt all stood and moved toward the entry hall. Carmelita Chavez was at the door, chain in place, and requesting ID from the people outside. After confirming their identities and cross-checking with the list of known persons, she removed the chain and stepped back from the doorway.

An older, white-haired gentleman in a suit walked into the apartment, followed closely by a younger man with light brown hair who was carrying a large bouquet of flowers. Seeing Trixie, flanked by the two redheaded men, Carmelita smiled. "Mr. Wheeler, Mr. Baxter and Mr. Roberts have been cleared. They are on the list."

"Matthew," the older man stuck his hand out and crossed the space to shake hands with the man on Trixie's right. "Let me introduce David Roberts. He's an intern at the same firm as Madeleine and my student aide. How is Madeleine? We've all been so worried. We just wanted to drop by and give her our best."

Matt shook Baxter's hand before turning to Roberts. He gestured toward his son. "Jared and David, this is my son Jim and his girlfriend, Trixie Belden."

"How do you do, sir?" Jim said shaking hands with the older man. "David."

"Nice to meet you both," Trixie said, as she studied the two men. "Won't you please come in? Honey is resting in the living room." She stood back and allowed the visitors to walk in before her. She followed closely behind.

Honey stood when they came into the room. "Professor Baxter, thank you for coming. You didn't have to. I'm fine."

Sherlock sat up on the couch by Maddie and made a low noise in her throat. She watched the men closely.

"Now, now, Madeleine. Of course I had to check on you. Roberts and I wanted to stop by and make sure you were all right," he said, as he moved close to pat Honey on the shoulder.

The dog growled deeply in her throat, stopping Baxter in his tracks.

"Thank you so much for coming, Jared," Maddie said from her place on the couch, as she put a calming hand on her granddog. "Matthew and I appreciate you looking after our girl."

An uncomfortable tenseness filled the small living room. They made a strange tableau, the two honey-haired women looking so much alike and the normally calm dog on alert.

David Roberts' loud gasp filled the quiet room as he turned toward the room from talking to Jim. His face blushed, as he looked from daughter to mother and back again. "I didn't realize the two of you looked so much alike," he said, surprised.

As he moved near the couch, Sherlock's sharp bark startled everyone. Honey resumed her seat by her mother and urged the dog into her lap. "We hear that all the time but I'm not nearly as pretty as Mother," Honey said with a smile. "Mother, this is David Roberts."

The young man advanced with his hand outstretched to shake Maddie's hand. As Baxter shifted closer to a chair next to Maddie to clear a path, Sherlock stood up, then started barking and growling. Her hackles rose up along her back.

"Sherlock, quiet!" Jim commanded from across the room.

Honey and Maddie both placed their hands on the dog to try to calm and relax her defensive posture.

Jim walked toward the dog. "Sherlock, quiet!"

Wilson and Carmelita appeared in the doorway to the room. They quickly assessed that there was no current danger, but the dog was obviously upset.

"What happened?" Wilson asked.

"Sherlock, quiet," Jim tried again.

The dog immediately stopped barking and sat on the couch between Honey and Maddie.

"I've never seen her react like that before and I've definitely never seen her ignore Jim's command," Matt said, confused.

"She's always responded immediately. Even when she was a puppy," Trixie added.

Jim moved near his mother at the end of the couch studying the dog's demeanor. "I think she's just trying to protect Honey. She probably senses that Honey doesn't feel well."

Trixie's brow furrowed as she looked from Professor Baxter to David Roberts. "Sherlock is a bit possessive of family. If you keep your distance, I'm sure she won't bark anymore."

"That's understandable," David replied with a frown, as he stood close to the doorway. Watching the dog closely, he added, "Though we would never do anything to hurt Madeleine."

"I'm glad you stopped by, Jared," Matt remarked, as he seated himself on the other side of Honey. "Honey was going to call you later this evening to let you know that she'll be leaving town with us the day after tomorrow to return to home. She mentioned a few things she has to do before she leaves but we think it's best she return to the Manor House to begin her rest and recovery as soon as possible."

Professor Baxter's brow puckered at Matt before swinging his eyes to Honey. He demanded sharply, "What do you mean 'leaving town'? Aren't you going to stay another two weeks and train David on the research you've been doing for me, Madeleine?"

Honey grimaced at his loud tone and placed a hand to her temple. "Professor, please lower your voice," she requested quietly. "According to the doctor, I am supposed to be on full rest for two weeks or longer depending on the recommendation of our family physician. David is fully trained on all aspects of my research work for you and the firm. We've been going over the information and status of the research and he is ready to take over. All I have to do is give him the current paperwork and one last quick review of the file locations."

"Roberts, is that true?" Baxter asked of the younger man. "Are you ready to take over?"

The intern's gray eyes shifted between Baxter and Honey. "Yes, sir. I just need one more day with Madeleine and then I think I'll have everything I need."

"If you're sure, then we'll let Madeleine go, so she can get well again," Baxter conceded. "I think we should let you rest now, my dear. We'll see you tomorrow at the office at 9:30."

Roberts hesitated before following Baxter to the doorway. "Yes, we'll see you tomorrow, Madeleine. Rest well."

"Thank you," Honey replied. "I'll see you both tomorrow."

"I'll show you out," Carmelita said, as she motioned her arm toward the doorway and followed them out of the room.

As the front door closed, Trixie moved quickly to the front window and looked out. She raised her smartphone and snapped several quick pictures then keyed the license plate numbers and vehicle descriptions into a note.

"Did you get everything?" Jim asked as he joined her at the window to watch Baxter and Roberts leave.

"One sec, Jim," she muttered as she finished noting the make and model of Baxter's vehicle. She turned as the two PIs reentered the room and walked to the desk where she'd left her laptop. "Everyone take a seat," she requested, as she turned the desk chair toward the assembled group.

"Trixie, why are you being so Agatha Christie all of a sudden?" Maddie asked, eyebrows raised over twinkling eyes.

The young blonde blushed prettily. "It's like this," she began. "In the past hour, I've noticed some unusual happenings and I want to make sure we know everything there is to know before any decision is made about Honey's welfare."

"I agree that we need a full review of everything from the beginning up to the minute," Wilson agreed. "I think our files and information records aren't complete."

"I'm up to date so I think I need to go find a place for Trixie and me to spend the night," Jim interjected. "I would like to go over what we've learned since Trixie and I arrived though." From his position on the arm of the couch, he leaned over to pet Sherlock. "I've never seen our girl bark at someone or not obey my command. She was obviously upset about Baxter, Roberts and their movements," he announced. "I don't think it was because of Honey being upset. I think she sensed something."

"Oh, Jim," Honey sighed quietly. "I've worked with Professor Baxter for three years and David for the past year. I've never had a worry or an issue with them at all."

Trixie tilted her head to look at her friend. "Honey, I can't disagree with your statement. I know how you've enjoyed working with the Professor, but you did mention that David kept asking you out."

Honey's face flushed with irritation. "I don't find it frightening that someone thought that I was interesting enough to ask me out on a date," she snapped. "I just think he was overly persistent about it and wouldn't take no for an answer. I only relented once, just after Christmas. His parents were in town for the day and I went with them to a Mexican place for lunch," she finished.

Trixie rushed to Honey and hugged her gently. "Honey, I didn't mean that it was strange that someone asked you out, only that David kept asking and asking and asking..."

"And asking," Honey giggled. "Yeah, he was getting on my last nerve."

"Anyone who is around you is lucky, but to be allowed to date you," Trixie affirmed. "That guy better be perfectly perfect."

Matt snorted. "She's not dating or marrying anyone. She's my little girl and always will be," he growled. "I have a cabinet full of hunting rifles. No guy is getting past me to my baby daughter."

"Gee, Dad," Jim said with a frown on his face, but a twinkle in his eye. "You didn't try to defend my honor."

"Well, hell, son," Matt laughed. "You came _into_ the family because of the love of your life and your sister. Your mother and I didn't have anything to say about it," he added with a chuckle.

"Yeah, Jim," Trixie giggled. "You were the one who pulled a shotgun on me."

Wilson and Carmelita smiled at each other as the family teased and laughed. Wilson loudly cleared his throat. "Uh, folks, I think we need to get back on the subject," he requested. "If Sherlock here felt there was a threat to Ms. Wheeler by one of our visitors, we need to see what that might be." The large man turned to address Trixie. "Ms. Belden, did you get all the vehicle information about our guests?"

Trixie had returned to the desk and was typing into her laptop. "Yes, Wilson, I got it all. I'm entering the data into the system now to get the information I can from the network. I've also sent everything we know about the two of them to Cooper to have him run some checks." She clicked "send" and launched the information into cyberspace. "He'll get back to us soon. In the meantime," she added, as she typed. "Professor Baxter drives a gray-blue Aston Martin DB9. He must want to give the impression he's James Bond," she giggled when she heard Honey and everyone laugh. "And as before, he is just squeaky clean in all major databases."

"I don't think that there is anything to worry about with Jared," Matt said gruffly. "Maddie and I have known him for years. We knew him even before we adopted Jim and worked with Rainsford and Reynolds." He exchanged a worried look with Maddie. "Of course, I don't think we can rule out anyone yet."

"Well, this is interesting," Trixie said thoughtfully. "There's a Baxter from Ithaca on Facebook named Sam. He says he's the professor's son and a veterinary assistant for the Ithaca Veterinary Center." She glanced up to look around the room. "That's like a physician's assistant. He can treat and perform minor surgery on animals which means he'd have access to the drug Versed."

"But, baby, it doesn't mean that his father can get it from him or the center," Jim reasoned.

"I'm with Daddy, Trixie," Honey said softly, as she leaned her head back on the couch and rubbed her forehead. "I just don't see Professor Baxter as a text stalker, either," she added. "He's doesn't know how to do anything on his smartphone other than make a call and half the time, he can't manage that."

"What does your magic machine say about David, Trixie?" Maddie asked.

Keying in the data she had, Trixie replied, "His metallic grey Honda Civic Coupe is registered to his parents. Nothing special about him other than that juvy record that shows expunged. It could be an event like Dan's, nothing at all or something worse. I asked Cooper to check into him some more."

Carmelita turned crossways in the chair, placed one of her long legs over an arm and then draped her arm over the other. "No offense but he seems pretty weak to me. I mean all the mutt did was bark and he was screaming like a little girl."

"Do not call Sherlock a mutt, _dear_," Maddie said icily, as she watched the woman. "Please sit up and pay attention to the discussion or I'm sure that Jason Marlow can find a case more suited to your interests." As Carmelita hurriedly sat up straight in the chair, Maddie requested, "Continue, Trixie."

She fought back a smile as she moved to another webpage on the laptop. "Roberts' Facebook page shows he has a father, Thomas, who is an oral surgeon. His mother, Pam, is a lawyer and one brother, Eric, who is around ten."

"Lots of opportunity there to get the syringe of Versed," Wilson remarked with a frown.

"Wilson, please tell me what this drug would do to someone," Maddie said with a shudder.

"Mrs. Wheeler, if you were injected with the drug in the prescribed amount, you would experience drowsiness. It is used to relieve anxiety or prevent the memory of a procedure such as a colonoscopy," he replied. "It's not lethal unless administered improperly; you have a heart condition or some other condition that would interact with the drug."

Matt slapped the arm of his chair. "I'm just damn glad that son of a –"

"Matthew…" Maddie bit out.

He sighed heavily and looked at Maddie, then Honey. "Sorry, dear. I'm just glad that syringe was dropped, instead of used."

Jim stood and moved to stand by Trixie. "I think you should start over at the beginning and run through everything again while I go find us that room."

"There is a B&B just down the street on the other side. It's by the pizza place," Carmelita said, attempting to be helpful. "About a block away, so it's in walking distance."

"Thanks," Jim replied. "I think I'll walk down and check it out before looking for another place. I'll be back shortly," he added, as he leaned over, placed a gentle kiss on Trixie's lips and walked out the door.

Trixie smiled at the occupants of the room. "OK, let's start at the beginning…."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

The rain had stopped by the time Jim walked across the street toward Honey's apartment. As he reached the curb, the door opened and Trixie came bounding down the stairs, stopping on the last step. She placed her hands on his shoulders and leaned toward him to hear what the results were.

Jim's hands found their way to Trixie's hips and pulled her close. He assumed a pouting face as he spoke. "Trix, I'm sorry, baby, but the B&B down the street doesn't have two rooms. All that was available was the honeymoon suite. King bed, double size claw foot tub and a giant shower. I took it, but only because I didn't want us to have to sleep in the SUV. I hope you can stand to stay in the same room with me," he said in a forlorn voice.

She leaned in for a quick kiss. "It'll be rough but I think I can handle it. I promise to do my best to not compromise your innocence any more than six times tonight," she answered with a waggle of her eyebrows.

"I'll hold you to that." Jim grinned at her, and then swiftly kissed her. "The only down side is that Sherlock can't stay with us. She'll have to spend the night at Honey's. The owner doesn't allow dogs. Since it was only for a couple of nights and it gets us just down the street from here, I didn't think it would be a problem. I don't want to tote the luggage down the street. There is off-street parking behind the B&B. Ride along with me?"

"Anywhere," she whispered with a soft kiss on his lips.

Escorting her down the stairs, Jim settled Trixie in to the passenger seat before he moved around the hood to sit behind the wheel.

"It's been too long. Come here, you," Jim growled, as he pulled her toward him for a lengthy, passionate kiss.

A pair of sharp knocks on the window broke the magic of the kiss. Jim and Trixie jumped apart as they turned to see who had knocked.

Putting down the window, Jim said quietly, "Yes, Officer, what can I do for you?"

The Ithaca Police Officer stood looking between Jim and Trixie as if to size them up as criminals. Placing his hands on his gun and equipment belt, he said kindly, "I need you folks to move on along. This isn't that kind of 'parking' spot." As he watched the pair blush, he added with a wink, "There are some nice hotels just down the street."

Trixie noticed Jim's neck turning red, meaning his redheaded temper was getting ready to surface. "Sure, Officer Brown," she said, noting his name tag. "We need to get moving anyway. You have a nice day."

Trixie slid back into the passenger's seat and fastened her seatbelt. Jim put the SUV in gear and pulled away from the curb.

As soon as they were out of the officer's sight, they broke out in laughter.

As Jim moved to the back of the SUV to unload their luggage, a sudden frown appeared on his lips.

"Is everything OK, Jim?" Trixie touched Jim's arm, getting his attention.

"Wha-?" Jim sputtered. "What were you saying?"

"I was asking what you thought about Sherlock barking and going nuts when David Roberts and Jared Baxter came into Honey's place. I've never seen her act like that with anyone," Trixie replied.

"I was a million miles away thinking about Honey. I'm really worried about her," Jim replied, as he handed her a bag to carry and closed the cargo area. "As for Sherlock's barking, maybe she just feels our tension and distrust. I don't know. She sure didn't want to leave Honey's side. Let's get settled in our room before dinner. We have a couple of hours. Do you want to take a nap?" he asked blinking his eyes innocently.

Trixie grabbed his hand, looked both ways and briskly walked to the bed and breakfast. "After," she giggled with a waggle of her eyebrows.

"Here we go, room 4. You take the key and I'll get our bags." He handed her the card and picked up the bag. "Over there on the right, Trix."

Trixie passed the electronic key card through the reader, red light. She tried it again, red light. "It's not working."

Jim put the bags down, leaned in, and took the card from Trixie. He stretched his arm out and tried the key in the lock. As he was reaching across her, Trixie couldn't resist nipping his ear lobe. Jim, not expecting to be bitten, jumped and dropped the key card.

He turned his head and raised one ginger brow. "You wanna play, do you?" He moved forward, forcing Trixie back into the wall, trapping her with his arms on either side. Jim molded his muscular body to hers, ensnaring her so she couldn't escape. He slowly, deliberately, moved toward her pink lips.

Trixie bit her lower lip, breathing rapidly, anticipating Jim's kiss. Her breasts were heaving against his chest. He stopped a hairsbreadth from Trixie's trembling lips. Jim watched as she ran the tip of her tongue slightly over her upper lip. Her breathing hitched as Jim tilted his head slightly and claimed her lips in a slow passionate kiss. Sliding between her parted lips, Jim deliberately sought her tongue with his, completing his sweet invasion. He lightly sucked on her bottom lip, pulling away gently.

This kiss was absolutely sexual. Trixie was literally shaking. She was grateful that she was leaning against the wall. Her knees were in danger of buckling and she could clearly feel the evidence of Jim's arousal pressing into her core. Jim's eyes had darkened and his pupils were huge. Trixie couldn't look away; it was if she was frozen in place.

Jim was leaning in for a second assault on her senses, when from behind they heard, "Ahem! Um, Mr. Frayne, sorry to, um, interrupt, but I, um, realized that I gave you the wrong key card. I tried, um, to catch you, but, um, I missed you. Thought it, um, would be best if I brought it up to you. Um, again, um, I'm sorry for the interruption, sir. Here," the young, blushing, desk clerk said, handing Jim the new key card.

Jim bent down to pick up the key card that didn't work. "Thanks for bringing up the new card. We were having a hard time with this one." Trixie snorted at the comment and took the new keycard from Jim. She squirmed past him, unlocked the door, and quickly escaped into the room, laughing hysterically. Jim reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple of bills and folded them up and handed them to the young man along with the non-working key card. "Thanks again."

As the nervous desk clerk escaped, Jim picked up the overnight bags and pushed open the door. Trixie was standing next to the king-sized bed, her left hand over her mouth, trying unsuccessfully to keep the laughter from escaping. "So, Shamus, you found something funny?" Jim asked, tossing the overnight bags onto the floor, his eyes narrowing under raised brows, a smirk curling on the right side of his face.

Trixie should have recognized that look. It was same one Jim had when challenged to basketball in Iowa. The same look he had when Nick Roberts had asked Trixie to her Junior Prom. The same look when his high school counselor said there was no way he could complete a double major in just four years. It was his 'I've got a point to prove' look. She stuck her right arm out in front of her, as if that was going to stop the redhead from his mission. Jim charged. He wrapped his arms around Trixie's middle and they toppled onto the bed, laughing.

Jim twisted before hitting the bed so he took the brunt of the fall. He looked up into sapphire blue eyes, bright with laughter. Trixie tossed her head back and laughed. "Let me up you goof! Remember, I had all that iced tea at Honey's."

Two hours later, Jim's emerald eyes twinkled and he hid a smile behind his napkin as he watched his elegant mother slip Sherlock a piece of pizza crust off her plate. Muffled giggles from Trixie and Honey let him know that they had seen the sleight of hand as well.

"So, we are all agreed," Wilson said, drawing everyone's attention back to the discussion of Honey's safety. "Ms. Wheeler doesn't go anywhere without Carmelita, Agent Belden or me. Tomorrow, we'll take Ms. Wheeler to her office so she can finish her data transfer and then we pack up and head to Sleepyside where we'll have lots of backup and home court advantage."

Matt nodded. "Yes. Between the local police, the Bob-Whites, our household staff and your agency, we'll have better protection for Honey than we do here."

"We need to see if Chief Molinson and Dan can help lay a trap," Trixie suggested. "I think we need to call the Bob-Whites and let them know what's happening, anyway."

Honey laid her head onto her father's shoulder and sighed. "I hate to worry them about this," she began, then yawned. "I'm tired. I think I'll lie down for a bit," she finished, as she stood up and walked slowly down the hall holding her head.

Sherlock hopped down from beside Maddie and hurried after her.

Trixie pressed the key on her cell phone to end the call to Mart, Di and Dan. She sat beside Jim on the sofa, waiting impatiently until Matt disconnected his call to Chief Molinson.

"Wendell will have extra patrols around the estate until Honey's attacker is captured. He was going to talk to Cooper to get as many details as he can so he can do his own research," Matt advised. "He'll take some deputies to check things out at home and then discuss things with Regan, Margery and the rest of the staff."

Trixie leaned into Jim's side and tucked her feet under her. "I called Mart. Di and Dan were with him so I got three Bob-Whites with one call," she giggled at her own comment. "Dan and Bonnie are coming up tomorrow with Jim's SUV to pick up any boxes we need to bring. Tom and Regan will be in the limo. That means we can return the rentals and ride home in style, plus they can be extra muscle for lifting boxes."

"Perfect," Maddie enthused, clapping her hands. "Let's work on packing up all of Honey's personal items so we can take them back with us," she added, rising out of the chair. "It won't take us long. What do you think, Trixie?"

Jumping up from the sofa, Trixie nodded. "An excellent idea, Maddie. We need to do something proactive for a change. We'll let Carmelita know. You guys can tell Wilson that we're heading home tomorrow evening." She leaned in to give Jim a quick kiss. "Be back soon."

"OK," Jim answered with a smile as he stood up beside her. "While you and Mom figure out where to start, Dad and I will get the boxes and start putting them together. If you need anything else, let us know," he said, swatting her lightly on her seat.

Rising on tip-toes, eyes sparkling with a wicked light that he had already come to want to see often, she kissed him with a promise. "I need everything from you, Frayne," she whispered in his ear, nipping his lobe. "As often as possible."

"You got it, babe," he murmured back. Smiling devilishly, he watched her hurry after his mother.

Trixie and Maddie surveyed the contents of Honey's kitchen cabinets that they had placed on the island bar. There was eight of everything a person would need to set a table lined up on the surface. Beside the plates, glasses, bowls and mugs were the few pots, pans, utensils and assorted cooking bowls a single person would use.

"I think we can get all this in three boxes to be shipped," Trixie said, putting the last of the canned goods on the counter under the cabinet holding spices. "She mentioned that she's giving all the foodstuffs to her neighbors that live below her. Since she'll be living back at the Manor House, I can't see that she'll need cans of soup of her own." Turning the can to read the contents, she commented, "This one looks like it might be good though. Barley, mutton, pieces of carrots and potatoes in a hearty stock."

"It does sound good," Maddie agreed, looking at the can Trixie held. "It's an American company but it shows that it's imported from Canada. Let's put these cans with Honey's dishes and take it home with us or have some with grilled cheese sandwiches tomorrow."

"Great idea," she responded, moving the cans to the other counter.

"Hu-hum," a throat cleared behind them.

Turning, they saw Carmelita in the doorway.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Wheeler. May I speak candidly with you and Ms. Belden about something?" Carmelita asked politely. She knew she'd gotten off on the wrong foot with these people and wanted to make sure she didn't screw up again.

"Certainly," Maddie said, motioning toward the table. "Trixie and I were just about to take a break and drink a glass of tea anyway."

Trixie quirked a brow at her friend, then selected three of the glasses and filled them with ice and tea, as the other women waited at the table. She carefully set the tea down on the table before taking the chair next to Maddie.

The bodyguard took a sip of the tea, looking nervously between the two other women at the table. "Mrs. Wheeler, Wilson and I have been with your daughter since the attack," she informed. "She hasn't been away from one or the other of us."

"We appreciate you and Wilson getting to her so quickly and staying with her constantly," Maddie assured her. "We certainly didn't think that she wouldn't be safe in her own home. Is there a problem?"

Carmelita shifted nervously in her chair as she traced the condensation running down the outside of her glass. "At the hospital, she had some horrible nightmares where she screamed out 'leave me alone', 'don't touch me' and 'stay away'." Her dark concerned eyes watched the reaction to her words. "Even under sedation she kept muttering and making frightened noises."

"The doctors didn't say anything about that," Maddie responded. "Neither did the nurses," she added with a concerned look at Trixie.

"She's actually been having the nightmares for a while," Carmelita said quietly. "Wilson interviewed the neighbors below and above after we got back here. They told him that she'd cry out loud enough that she'd wake them. They'd call her to make sure she was OK. The Clark family that lives in the basement apartment even came up here a couple of times to check on her."

"She never said a word," Trixie said, turning worried blue eyes to look at Maddie. "I wonder if we know everything."

"I do, too," Maddie agreed with a frown.

Carmelita stood then walked to the hall closet. Opening the door, she pulled a shoebox off the shelf and returned to the kitchen. "I found this when we ran the security sweep on the apartment," she said quietly. "A shoebox in the front hall closet struck me as something out of the ordinary for a person like Ms. Wheeler. When we check out a client's home, we always make sure that no threats have been placed there by whoever is after them. I opened the box and saw these." She pushed the box toward Maddie and Trixie.

Trixie cautiously lifted the lid from the box revealing several colorful envelopes and florist envelopes. Each envelope was addressed to Madeleine Wheeler either typewritten or using letters cut out of a newspaper. "Have you looked at these?" she asked, shaking the box slightly to see more of the contents.

"Yes, Wilson and I looked at them," Carmelita answered. "We are extremely concerned about them. There are no _overt_ threats. Only comments about how Ms. Wheeler would soon be with whoever sent them. Each of them calls her Madeleine, instead of Honey like you all do. When we asked Ms. Wheeler about the contents she ran her fingers through them and said that she'd talk to Ms. Belden about them."

Trixie pulled a letter out of an envelope and began to read it. "This is done entirely in words cut from either a magazine or the paper. Look at this, Maddie," she urged, moving the paper in front of them both. "He calls her Madeleine through the entire letter but it goes from talking about her beauty to ranting about her leaving."

"Oh, my God. Trixie, look right here," she cried, pointing to low on the page.

iF I CaN't HAVe YoU, No OnE caN!

"That's definitely a threat," Trixie growled. "We need to find this guy." She quickly scanned the rest of the letter.

A terrifying scream broke the silence in the kitchen. Sherlock's sharp barks intermingled with the piercing shriek.

Feet thundered from the living room toward the back of apartment.

Trixie, Maddie and Carmelita jumped up quickly, their chairs falling over behind them. They hurried down the hall to Honey's bedroom.

Pushing past Wilson, who stood in the doorway, Maddie and Trixie stopped abruptly. Matt held his sobbing daughter tightly in his arms, rubbing a hand up and down her back and murmuring soothing words.

Jim stood near the bed, clenching and unclenching his hands into fists as he watched his sister cry.

"Oh, my darling," Maddie cried, hurrying to gather Honey in her arms.

"Mom," she blubbered. "It was just a nightmare. This is so embarrassing," she sniffed.

Matt kissed her gently on the forehead. "Sweetheart, we'll leave you with your mother and Trixie. I suggest you tell them about the nightmare," he advised. "Maybe if you talk about it, then you won't have it again." He gave her a brief hug and stood. "Let's go do some more packing."

Wilson and Carmelita followed Matt from the room but Jim lingered at the door by Trixie.

"See if you can find out what is going on with her," he whispered. "I'm worried."

"I'll do my best, Jim. Now shoo. Your mom and I have work to do," she replied softly, urging him gently toward the door. "I love you," she added, blowing him a kiss as she shut the door on him.

Honey blew her nose and mopped at her face, as her mother fetched a wet washcloth.

Trixie walked to the bed and crawled over her friend's legs to sit cross-legged on the other side of her. Sherlock hopped onto the bed and lay close with her head on Honey's leg. Maddie returned holding out the wet cloth as she perched on the edge of the bed, on Honey's other side.

"Spill it, Wheeler," Trixie ordered gently.

Honey flashed an irritated look at her best friend. "I keep having nightmares about the attack," she sighed, folding and unfolding the cloth nervously. "Except instead of just getting knocked out, I dream that he shoots me full of some drug that kills or damages me."

"Sweetheart, we saw the box of cards and letters," her mother said softly. "Why didn't you tell us or go to the police?"

Honey ran one hand across Sherlock's glossy coat and traced the pattern of the quilt covering her bed with the other. She didn't want to answer her mother but knew she had to tell them the reason. "I thought I could get home before anything happened and I'd be safe," she whispered.

"Oh, Honey," Trixie faltered, looking to Maddie for the right words.

"Darling, even if all we can do is listen, you need to share your worries and fears with the people that love you," her mother advised.

"She's right, you know," Trixie agreed softly. "We could have reported the calls, texts, cards and letters to the police, too. They could have examined the envelopes and cards for fingerprints and started an investigation file. Your dad could have had Carmelita and Wilson here sooner." She picked up her friend's hand and squeezed it. "But mostly, we could have been here for you and shared the worries. You know our saying of 'many hands make light work'? Well, in this case, it could be many worriers make anyone who tries anything against one of us light in the brain."

Her best-friend smiled and then giggled. "Oh, Trix," she cried, grabbing her friend for a quick hug before turning to her mother and launching herself into her arms.

"Sweetheart," Maddie murmured. "We'll get through this together," she crooned, rocking her daughter gently.

Trixie's eyes filled with tears. "I'm going to go make sure Jim and Matt are packing the boxes correctly. You two come out when you're ready."

Honey nodded against her mother's shoulder.

"We'll be out in a bit, dear," Maddie replied, smoothing Honey's hair back with a gentle hand.

Trixie told Jim and Matt about the cards, letters and nightmares as they packed up the contents of Honey's office, including all her treasured Lucy Radcliffe books.

Maddie emerged from Honey's room long enough to reassure her husband that all was well before recruiting Trixie to help carry wardrobe boxes into the bedroom.

After putting the hanging clothes into the packing boxes, the three women and Sherlock returned to the living room.

"Hey, Honey, come here a sec," Jim requested, as he picked up a picture of the Bob-Whites from a bookshelf.

As she reached his side, Jim set the frame down and hugged his sister tight. "I was the only one who didn't get a hug earlier," he joked. "I was feeling left out."

"You goof," Honey responded, punching him lightly in the shoulder. "I'd never leave my brother out of hugs."

"Don't you mean your full-blooded adopted brother?" he retorted, grinning.

Hazel eyes solemnly met his emerald ones. "Nope. You are my brother," she asserted. "We may not have the same blood, but what we have is here," she said quietly, placing her hands over both their hearts.

Jim hugged her tight again.

"Honey, why don't you pack a bag and come back to Mead's Mountain with us?" Trixie inquired. "The cabin is huge, so there is enough room for Wilson and Carmelita. You could be safe and get some rest."

"That's a great idea, Trixie," Jim enthused. "There are two bedrooms and a bath upstairs plus the room we're in so there's room for you, too, Mom and Dad."

"What do you think?" Trixie asked excitedly.

Matt and Maddie looked at each other for a moment in silent communication. Matt answered, "I think we might be able to do that, kids. We can finalize plans in the morning but right now we need to get to our accommodations for the night so we can get back here bright and early."

"I know Mom made a reservation at that luxury hotel by Cornell before dinner. Do you need a ride?" Jim offered.

"No, son, we've got a rental car. We'll return it in the morning and get a limo over here at seven," Matt answered, herding Maddie to the door where Honey and Trixie waited.

"Good night, darling," Maddie said, hugging Honey.

"'Night, Mom," she replied, shyly using the new name for her mother. "I'll see you all in the morning," she added, kissing her father's cheek before hugging Jim and Trixie.

"'Night Mom and Dad," Jim grinned at his parents. "We'll get it all figured out in the morning and set a plan to get Honey home safe. We need to make sure this nut doesn't get to her again."

"Yes, we do. We'll work it out tomorrow. See you in the morning," Maddie said, as Matt kissed Trixie's cheek. "We'd offer you a ride but you might want to walk off that pizza," she added, eyes twinkling.

Matt took Maddie's hand, leading her down the stairs and to the alley beside the brownstone.

Jim placed an arm around Trixie, walking her down the stairs and strolling past the end of the alley. They had gained the sidewalk on the other side when an engine roared toward them from the alley. A dark green Ferrari convertible squealed out of the alley with Matt at the wheel.

"'Night, kids," he yelled, as Maddie waved from the passenger seat and the sports car raced down the street.

A man separated himself from the tree across the street. "You won't get my Madeleine away from me," he snarled. "She's mine." Turning toward the brownstone he watched the shadows play across the curtains. "All mine."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

After everyone had left and the doors were secured, Wilson and Chavez gathered their mugs of coffee and settled in at the breakfast bar in the kitchen. "Goodnight. Thank you for everything," Honey said.

"Goodnight, Ms. Wheeler. Don't worry about anything. Carmelita will be on duty and I'll be in the guest room," Wilson advised.

Honey and Sherlock went down the hall into her room. While Sherlock settled onto the queen-sized bed, Honey changed into her pajamas, slipper socks, and fluffy bathrobe. She knew it was May, but she was still chilled to the bone. The headache was still clinging to the back of her head. She also knew she needed rest, but the memory of the attack of nausea earlier that afternoon had left her restless.

_Relaxation, I need to relax_. Honey thought to herself as she sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed Sherlock's ears. "Sherlock, I'm really glad you had to spend the night. You being here makes me less lonely. Now if I could just muster up the courage to go to sleep."

Sherlock missed her folks, but she knew her Aunt Honey needed her more. She answered with a soft whimper, "HHhmmmMMM."

"Music? That's a great suggestion. Let's see, what's on the iPod," Honey said picking up her music player from her bed-side table. She scrolled through her music library. "Hmm, let's see. What do you think about the Beatles?"

The small dog exhaled noisily and settled her head on her front paws.

"OK, I take that as a no." Continuing to look through the selections she came across a group she always found relaxing. _And cute_, she thought. A gentle smile spread across her face. She placed the small electronic device onto the docking speakers and music poured out into the room. As the mix of deep, rich Irish male voices raised in song filled the air, Sherlock flopped onto her side and released a deep sign. "So, you like dark-haired men, too."

Honey crossed the room, lit the group of aromatherapy candles on her dresser and turned off the overhead light. The room was now draped in shadows, flickering light from the candles and the soft light from her bed-side table. She pushed the now snoring dog to the other side of the bed and pulled the covers down. After turning the light off, she adjusted the volume on Celtic Thunder, and snuggled down under her comforter. "OK, Ryan and Paul, sing me to sleep please."

She lay in the darkness and listed to the velvety tenors. Sleep continued to elude her. She rolled onto her side and watched Sherlock sleeping peacefully. _I'm jealous of a dog. Sad, Wheeler, very sad. Practice your breathing, in…out…in…out._ When the deep breathing techniques didn't help, Honey flipped overon to her back in frustration. "Warm milk, Miss Trask always said warm milk would help. Be right back, Sherlock," Honey said as she got up and put her bathrobe back on.

She was walking through the living room when she heard a knock on the front door. _Who could be here this late?_ she thought and froze in her tracks. _Oh my God! He's here!_ She sank onto the couch and curled into the darkness. Her body frozen with panic, Honey heard Carmelita speaking through the closed door. She could hear a muffled reply and then she listened as the locks clicked open. As she sat hiding in the shadows, she realized it was what she had done as a girl in boarding school. It was as if someone flicked the light on. She had a flash of clarity. "Madeline Grace, get up _now_ and see who it is, or you're going to be hiding for the rest of your life."

Honey stood up, straightened her shoulders and walked toward the source of her fear. When she got to the hallway, she could hear the conversation clearly.

"I'm sorry, sir. I understand your name is on the list, but without proper ID, there is nothing I can do." Carmelita was saying, her hand resting on the gun at her waist.

"I understand. I _really_ do. But ma'am you've got to understand, I've just spent over eight hours on a bus. Parking on this street is a nightmare, so I had to park my rental car in a garage four blocks away. Ma'am, I left everything in the car."

_I know that voice._ Honey thought as she moved quickly down the hallway.

"I'm sorry, sir…" Carmelita was repeating, when Honey interrupted.

"Brian? Is that you?" she asked softly from behind the statuesque bodyguard.

"Honey? Are you OK? How do you feel? How's your head?" Questions peppered rapidly through the small crack the security chain allowed.

"Brian! Carmelita, open the door. That's Brian. Let him in, please," Honey announced trying to get past the Amazon-sized woman.

Carmelita didn't budge. "I'm sorry Ms. Wheeler. No ID, no entry. Those are the rules."

Usually very polite and courteous, Honey had enough and her demeanor changed. "Ms. Chavez, I appreciate that you have rules. However, this is **my** brownstone, you are **my** employee, and you will open **my** door. Right now! Thank you."

"Ms. Wheeler, this is for your own protection…"

"Open the door, Ms. Chavez." Honey's voice was like ice cold steel.

"Ms. Wheeler…"

"Open the door, Chavez." The gruff command came from the doorway of the guest room. A disheveled Wilson was leaning against the door frame.

"But..."

"Open…the…door…Chavez." The words were said slowly and deliberately.

Mumbling to herself about a break in protocol, the dark-haired woman closed the door and removed the security chain. She opened the door and stood back to allow the young man to enter the room.

The iron maiden melted as soon as she saw her childhood friend. "Brian!" she exclaimed and threw herself into his arms. His arms wrapped around her instinctively offering comfort and solace. For all her tough talk, the events of the past 48 hours had wiped her out and Honey's composure was shattered.

"Oh, Honey, it's OK. Everything is going to be OK. I promise." Brian was trying to comfort his friend, attempting to keep her from becoming too out of control. Although Honey was still wrapped tightly around him, he looked over at the two bodyguards and said, "Hi, I'm Brian Belden. I just got in from the city. Sorry I forgot my ID."

"Understood, Dr. Belden. I'm Wilson and that's Chavez." He watched as his co-worker secured the locks on the door and gestured towards the kitchen. He nodded his understanding. "I'm going to try and get a little shut eye, if that's OK with everyone." He backed into the guest room, shutting the door, leaving Brian and a sniffling Honey alone in the hallway.

Brian held Honey at arm's length and said, "Better? How about we go sit in the living room and you can tell me whatever you like."

Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, she mumbled, "I'm so sorry. I can't believe I lost it like that. I am so embarrassed."

"Why would you be embarrassed? Come on, Brian here…fellow Bob-White. If you can't cry on my shoulder, who's can you? Let's have a seat," he said putting his hand on the small of her back and gently guiding her towards the living room.

Honey turned the lamp on the end table on and sat on the sofa, curling her legs underneath her. Brian sat down next to her and took her hand in his. He placed his fingers on her wrist and looked at his wristwatch. Meeting her raised eyebrows, he remarked, "What? Force of habit. Now just sit still for a minute." They sat in silence as Brian watched the second hand sweep across the face of his grandfather's wristwatch. "Your pulse is a little high, but not so high I'm worried."

_My pulse is high, because you're holding my hand._ Honey thought to herself and quickly decided that she needed to change the direction of her thoughts. "Brian, not that I mind, but what are you doing here?"

"Well, after Trix called, I remembered that I have weeks of vacation on the books and was going to lose them. The chief took my finished records and kicked me out and said he didn't want to see me until next Monday." Brian said, settling back onto the comfy couch and turning to face his friend. "So, seriously, how are you feeling?"

"Are you asking as a Bob-White or as a doctor?"

"Can't I be both?"

Honey smiled. "Always logical." She gave him a brief recap of what happened before everyone had gotten there in the morning and what had occurred since. "We're going to regroup here tomorrow morning for a breakfast meeting."

"Well, I guess I'd better go and let you get some sleep. Are you sleeping with your head elevated?"

"Trying, but I'm not having much luck falling asleep. I was going for warm milk when you knocked. But Brian, I don't know where you're going to stay. Jim and Trixie got the last room at the B&B. Mother and Father are staying at a luxury hotel way over by Cornell, but they were fortunate to even find a room. Most hotels are full for Cornell's Lavender Graduation celebrations."

"No problem. I'll just go to the hospital and crash in the resident's lounge, no one should notice."

"Absolutely not. You can stay here," Honey said firmly.

"Honey, in case you haven't noticed, there are more people than beds around here. Tom and Regan loaded up all your furniture and carted it to Sleepyside…you remember that right?" he teased.

She rolled her eyes and looked sideways at him. "Brian I didn't suffer any memory loss. At least I don't think I did."

"Funny, good to see you still have a sense of humor." Brian smiled. "Are you sure there's room for me?"

"Positive," Honey said. "Carmelita has the overnight watch, so you can sleep on the couch. I know you must be exhausted, but you have to catch me up to date on what's been going on with you."

Matt knocked on the front door to Honey's brownstone. Wilson appeared immediately and ushered him, Maddie, Trixie and Jim in. They carried sacks of eggs, bacon and breakfast ingredients through the doorway.

"Good morning, Wilson," Jim said, moving farther into the hallway. "We come bearing food. We're hungry and focused on getting some breakfast made," he added, holding up the grocery bags.

"Is Honey up, Wilson?" Trixie queried, walking toward the kitchen area. "And where is Car-," she halted outside the living room door. Her jaw sagged and her mouth formed a perfect 'O'.

"What's wrong, dear?" Maddie asked stepped around Matt to see into the room. "Oh," she sighed. "It's about time," she murmured.

Trixie stared at her eldest brother lying on the sofa, cradling her best-friend as they slept peacefully. She had never seen Brian's face so relaxed and content, even in sleep.

Jim, Matt and Wilson joined the two women in the doorway. A smirk stole over Jim's face, while his father scowled at the scene.

Gruffly, Matt requested, "Jim, why don't you wake up you sister and _your_ friend while the rest of us get breakfast started. It's going to be a long day." He glared at the sofa and then sighed heavily before turning to walk toward the kitchen.

His wife bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling broadly at the trio remaining in the hallway. "Trixie, you better get started on that coffee cake," she reminded. "Jim, be nice to them."

Handing his bags to Wilson, Jim grinned at his mother. "Sure, Mom. I'll be as kind to Brian as he was to me and Trix."

"Behave," his girlfriend admonished before kissing him swiftly and hurrying toward the kitchen.

Jim moved into the living room and stood at the end of the sofa. His left eyebrow quirked as he contemplated the best way to wake the sleeping couple without embarrassing his sister too much. Once she was out of hearing, his best-friend was going to get jibed about being found holding Honey. His lips curled in an evil grin as he decided on a plan.

"Honey. Brian," he called softly. Neither person moved so he tried again. "Good morning, Honey. Brian. It's time to get up."

His sister turned her head toward him but remained snuggled to Brian's chest. The arms holding Honey seemed to tighten as his friend slowly turned his head away from hers. A string of drool from the corner of his mouth to her hair reflected in the lamplight.

Jim couldn't resist taking his smartphone from his pants pocket and taking a picture of the duo. _Now that's some future blackmail_ he thought with a grin. Checking out the photo, he was happy to see the drool string showed plainly in the picture. He returned the phone to his pocket.

Gently touching the back of his sister's hand where it rested on Brian's chest, Jim tried again. "Honey. Hey, sis, it's time to wake up. You too, Bri. Wake up," he said in his normal voice.

Brian lay on the sofa, enjoying the feel of the warm, soft body lying on his chest and the silky hair draped across his upper arm. _Oh, Honey_, he thought. _This is the best dream ever_. Stretching out his arms, he realized the weight on his chest didn't go away with the movement. His arms brushed into what felt like jean-clad legs. He cracked open his eyes and saw the head of honey-colored hair cuddled into his chest. Closing his eyes briefly, when he opened them again, he was looking into a pair of devilish green eyes.

"Good morning, Brian," Jim said, chuckling. "Time to get up and face the day…plus my father," he snickered.

Brian closed his eyes and groaned. "Hi, Jim. Is everyone here?"

"If you mean did everyone see you, then yes, they did. My mother, father, Trixie, Wilson and I all saw this lovely and touching tableau of a young couple holding each other."

A loud sigh passed through his lips as he closed his eyes briefly. "OK, here's the deal," he whispered. "You let me wake up Honey, you don't give her any crap and you can take potshots at me for a month."

"Six months," Jim bargained.

Brian rolled his eyes, but raised his hand to his friend. "She's worth it," he said softly, glancing at her sleeping face. "Deal." As he shook hands with Jim, he smiled and ordered, "Now get out."

"Sure thing, buddy," Jim replied with a grin. "Welcome to the fallen by the way," he added, then stuck his hands in his pockets before sauntering out of the room.

Brian tightened his arm around Honey's back and enjoyed a few more minutes of the heaven that was having her in his arms.

Gently he pushed the hair off of her face and behind her ear to look at her more closely. He had never seen a more beautiful woman in his life. Slowly, he moved the hand on her back in an up and down motion. He meant to not only ease her into wakefulness but also to reassure her she was safe when she did wake up.

"Honey, it's time to wake up," he coaxed softly. "Baby, I think your folks are here with Trixie and Jim," he continued, rolling his eyes at the thought. "You need to wake up. We need to get around so we can take you safely back to Sleepyside." He touched her face gently and tried again. "Honey, baby, it's time to wake up," he said more loudly.

She moved restlessly on his chest which made Brian muffle a groan as she pressed closer to him. He closed his eyes and settled back to enjoy the sensation, drawing Honey closer to him.

"Oomph!" he exclaimed as the heel of her hand landed on his diaphragm and knocked the air out of him. Brian's eyes popped open to see Honey backing away from him in a panic.

"Honey," he soothed, realizing she was in a state between sleep and wakefulness. "It's me, Brian. Honey, you need to wake up."

Her hair flew around her face as she shook her head. She blinked her eyes several times as her face reddened with distress. "Brian? What am I doing out here?" she muttered disoriented.

Brian approached her and took her hand in both of his. "We sat on the sofa talking last night, remember?" he said, as color flushed his handsome cheeks. "I guess we fell asleep," he explained quietly.

"Did you say my parents, Jim and Trixie are here?" she asked anxiously, eyes flitting around the room.

"Yes," he answered gently. "They brought stuff to make breakfast. Jim woke me up so we can get ready for the day."

She tilted her head and gazed into his warm, chocolaty eyes. "OK. That sounds like a plan. There's a bathroom in the hall you can use." Rising up on her toes, she kissed him softly on the cheek. "Thanks, Brian," she offered shyly. "That was the best night's sleep that I've had in a while," she admitted, then hurried from the room.

Showered and shaved, Brian stepped out of the bathroom into the hallway, directly into the path of Matthew Wheeler.

The older man crossed his muscular arms across his chest and glared at the young man he had known for a dozen years. "Good morning, Brian," he bade gruffly. "I was surprised to see you here this morning."

Brian's posture straightened and his eyes gazed steadily into the other man's. "Hello, Mr. Wheeler," he replied. "Trixie called yesterday and told me that Honey was attacked. I left work as soon as I could make arrangements. I had to see for myself that she was all right," he asserted. "She is very, very important to me," he admitted.

Matt watched as the significance of his admission registered on Brian's face followed by a grin. _Well, I always knew it would happen_, he thought frowning_. I suspected it would be Brian, too. Damn! I hate being right, _he added as the frown on his face deepened.

Seeing the scowl, Brian affirmed, "I know you aren't happy that I'm here, but Honey does mean a great deal to me." Matt's green eyes darkened as he appeared to look through him. "Mr. Wheeler, I will always be here for her and I will do everything in my power to ensure her happiness and safety."

Matt's eyes softened as his arms dropped to his sides and a gentle smile appeared on his face. He looked past Brian. Clapping the younger man on the shoulder, he finally focused on his face. "I think, under the circumstances, you should probably call me Matt from now on," he sighed loudly, shaking his head and striding toward the kitchen.

"Uh-hum." A soft throat clearing came from behind him.

Closing his eyes and counting to ten, Brian opened them and turned to see Honey. "'Morning again," he responded. As he remembered the words he had said to Matt, a flush stole across his cheeks at the knowledge that Honey had heard every word.

The beautiful woman stepped directing in front of him and searched his face. "Did you mean what you said?" she asked shyly with a look of wonder on her lovely face.

"I meant every word," he whispered.

"Just because of us being Bob-Whites?" she pressed quietly.

"No, because you are you," he responded, stepping closer. "Us being Bob-Whites comes second."

"Oh," she breathed, looking at him with sparkling eyes.

Brian put his hand behind Honey's neck and slowly drew her face to meet his. He exhaled softly on her lips. "You are everything…" he began, lowering his head.

"Breakfast!" Wilson called through the kitchen door.

Startled, they jumped apart.

Exchanging self-conscious, shy looks, Honey finally stammered, "I guess we should go eat."

"I'm starved," Brian agreed, with a mental eye-roll for such a lame response. "Let's go see what they made." Taking her hand in his, he walked her toward the kitchen, cursing Wilson's timing and thinking about the opportunity missed.

"Here's the bacon and eggs," Trixie announced, placing the two platters on the table.

"And here's the coffee cake Trixie made," Jim said proudly, setting the pan on the hotpad. "It smells delicious, baby."

A loud knock on the front door made the eight occupants of the room jump.

"I'll get it," Trixie said, walking quickly to the entry followed by Wilson. After a quick glance out the peep-hole, she opened the door.

"Overnight delivery for Trixie Belden," the uniformed driver stated as he looked at the small box.

"That's me," she replied.

"This package requires ID, per the sender. May I see your ID?"

Trixie pulled her FBI ID case out of the hip pocket of her jeans. After showing it to the driver, he handed her the delivery clipboard to sign then gave her the box.

"Have a good day," he said with a wave as he bounded down the stairs.

"You, too," she called before shutting the door. Trixie had only taken two steps when her cell phone rang. "Hello."

"Trixie, if my package tracker is working correctly, you have the box," Cooper said by way of greeting.

"Well, good morning to you, too, Cooper," she laughed. "Yes, I have the box and I take it that everything is set up as we discussed."

"Yep. I gotcha covered," Cooper answered. "Is Honey doing OK?"

Trixie moved a step or two down the hall to see inside the dining room. "She's still having headaches and dizziness plus her body is still sore, but I think she's better. Some good medicine arrived last night in the form of my oldest brother and he's been watching over her."

Cooper chuckled in response. "Well, all I can say is that it's about time. Your family is kinda slow about romance."

"True, but we know our hearts," she agreed. "I put in a request for all of next week off, too. It's a good thing I have plenty of vacation on the books. I don't want to put us behind on work, but I feel the need to be here. Will you be keeping an eye on things from your end?" she inquired softly.

"I'm here as long as you need me," he answered. "In fact, Special Agent-in-Charge Cummings already told me you have approval for the leave. It should be in your e-mail." Cooper sighed. "Hell of a way to spend your romantic vacation, Trixie."

Trixie's eyes locked with Jim's and a becoming blush bloomed across her cheeks. "Part of it has been the best, most perfectly perfect vacation I've ever taken, Cooper."

"Don't go there, Trix," he ordered. "I don't want to have to say TMI and scrub my brain out with a Brillo pad."

"Aw, come on, Cooper," Trixie laughed. "Let me tell you all about it."

Cooper groaned. "No, Trixie. I gotta go. Call if you need something and I'll see you a week from Monday."

"Thanks, Cooper," she smiled as the connection ended.

"What do you have there?" Jim asked as Trixie entered the dining room.

"Honey's graduation present," she answered, as she handed the box to her friend before taking her seat. "I had Cooper send it by courier so we'd have it this morning. I thought Honey needed a surprise."

Her best friend turned the box over in her hand as she pulled the sealing tape off. "Oh, Trixie, you shouldn't have gone to all this trouble," Honey exclaimed softly, as she removed the last of the tape.

Everyone around the table smiled as they watched Honey perk up with excitement and curiosity over the present.

She lifted the flaps on the shipping box, revealing a dark green box inside. As she took the box out, Honey flashed a grateful smile to Brian when he moved the outer box out of the way. Carefully, she opened the box and folded back the paper. "Lucy," she cried happily. "Oh my gosh, Trixie! Where did you get it?"

"What is it, Honey?" Maddie asked.

Her daughter's slim fingers worked inside the box for a few seconds before withdrawing a watch with a face about an inch and one-half wide. She held it up for everyone to see. "It's a Lucy Radcliffe watch," she exclaimed. "Trixie, where did you get it? Oh my gosh, it has a picture from _The Sheep Farm Mystery_ for its face. That's my favorite book. It is just perfectly perfect."

Trixie smiled proudly at her friend. "I found them for sale on the internet," she explained. "When I saw them, I just had to get them."

"Them? You got more than one?" Jim asked.

Trixie raised her arm and pulled back the long sleeve of her t-shirt, then sheepishly said, "Well, of course I had to have one, too. We both love Lucy plus we _are_ sisters. Aren't we, Honey?"

Her friend leaned over to hug Trixie. "Yes, we are. Thanks, Trix. You're the bestest."

Trixie held her friend close and whispered, "I love you, Honey Bee."

"I love you, too, Shamus," Honey whispered in reply.

Maddie ran a finger under her tear-filled eyes. "All right everyone. Let's eat. We have a lot to get done today."

"I can't believe you came here because of my call. Now why on earth would you want to do that?" Trixie teased, with a twinkle in her eyes, while she washed a plate. "I mean it's not as if it's your sister that was attacked."

"Trix," Brian growled in warning.

"Yeah, Brian," Jim continued with the taunt. "Why'd you rush here so quickly?" he asked with feigned curiosity. "I've never seen you charge across the state or even town for anyone else."

"OK, guys, you've had your fun," Brian conceded.

"Oh no, I don't think so," his best-friend retorted, smirking. "I have several lectures I need to give you." Striking a thoughtful pose, he resumed. "There's the two part series of 'don't you ever make my sister cry' and 'you better not hurt my younger sister or I'll kill you'. Followed by the wildly popular 'don't you even think about putting your filthy, rotten, no-good hands on my baby sister' lecture. And, of course, I need to make sure I do this in front of Mart, Dan and our fathers so they can all give you the glare of death and dismemberment throughout each lecture."

Giggling madly, Trixie snorted. "Jim, you can't be serious."

Running his hand around the back of his neck and blushing at the memory, Jim looked at her embarrassed. "It was like being captured by a posse and tortured," he explained. "It was awkward with your dad there," he admitted, placing his arms around her and pulling her back into his body. "The guys teased and harassed me unmercifully," he added, moving her hair off of her neck. "But I'd go through it all again with bamboo shoots under my nails to be with you," he finished, nibbling her neck directly below her ear.

A soft moan escaped from Trixie as Jim nipped at her earlobe.

"Please!" Brian exploded, his face red. "I'll take my lectures. I'll take them in front of anyone you want but I will not tolerate or endure watching you two be all lovey-dovey over each other."

Trixie and Jim looked at each other with startled eyes before breaking out in laughter. "OK, gentlemen, let's go round up the troops and get going," Trixie said walked back to the living room where the rest of the group was gathered.

"So, what's the plan for the day?" Brian asked, sitting down on the sofa next to Honey.

"Well, I've got to go into the office and transfer my files over to David and make sure he is up to date. And while I'm doing that, the rest of the gang is going to finish packing up the brownstone," Honey explained.

Wilson spoke up from the corner next to the window, "To be completely accurate, Ms. Wheeler, Chavez and I will be going with you to the office. If no one has any complaints, I'd like Dr. Belden to go with us, just in case Ms. Wheeler has any additional fainting episodes."

"Fine by me," Brian said, "I'm happy to help anyway I can."

Honey looked worried. "Are you sure? You're bound to be bored senseless."

Brian looked sideways at her. "I'm positive. Besides, I've always wanted to play lawyer."

"That's funny; I've always wanted to play doctor," she mumbled to herself and blushed furiously.

As Wilson and Carmelita escorted Honey and Brian to the office to meet David, Trixie set up her work laptop to continue researching the list of people who had contact with Honey. She methodically processed her neighbors, service providers and the people from the law office. Two hours later, she had reached the final two names, Professor Jared Baxter and David Roberts.

She rose from the chair and slowly stretched out her body. Reaching toward the ceiling, she concentrated on relaxing each muscle as she thought about the various people she had researched. No one stood out as someone who would harm or stalk Honey.

Trixie closed her eyes as the finished the final stretch of her feet up to her toes. As she reached the zenith of the stretch, two arms clamped around her and pulled her into a muscular and supple body.

"Hmmm," she purred as she snuggled into the body pressed against hers. She lifted her head and felt nibbling kisses along her lips, before they were taken in a sweet assault.

"I just came in to see if you needed a break," Jim murmured between kisses. "I was missing you terribly."

Trixie smiled as his lips moved to the curve of her jaw and she sank back down on her feet. "Best break from research I've ever taken."

Jim pulled back to look into eyes the color of sapphires. "How's it going?"

She rested her head on his chest and felt comfort from the strong beat of his heart. "I'm down to Baxter and Roberts again," she admitted. "There is just no one else that stands out so far." As she softly rubbed her hands up and down his back, she added, "I asked Cooper to see about getting access to the expunged file on Roberts while I run their backgrounds, but I haven't heard from him again."

He softly kissed her forehead. "Do you want some water or juice? You've been in here an awfully long time, baby."

She lifted her face to place a kiss on his lips. "I'd love some orange juice. I'll pay you later if you bring me some," she responded with a waggle of her sandy eyebrows.

A broad grin spread across Jim's face as her released her. "For that kind of incentive, I'd squeeze fresh oranges for you," he leered playfully as he waggled his brows in response. "I'll bring your juice then I'll go back and help Mother and Dad pack up some more of Honey's stuff for the movers." He placed a quick kiss on her lips, then hurried from the room, grinning as he thought about his reward.

Trixie returned the empty orange juice glass to the coaster as her e-mail chimed and the search engine completed the task. She switched to the mail window and saw a message from Cooper with the subject "IMPORTANT - READ IMMEDIATELY".

She hurriedly opened the message and read.

Trixie,

Attached is the expunged record for David Roberts plus a file of additional information about his family.

Third file is some information I found about Baxter, too.

Call me with instructions. I'll help in any way I can.

Cooper

The mouse clicked on one of the attachments. Trixie scanned the information and then reread it to absorb all the details. Selecting another of the files, she clicked to open it. As she read through the data, her eyes widened as she read the same paragraph over and over. The hand on the mouse trembled as she opened the remaining file. Trixie read rapidly through the text. Her body shook with the fear she suddenly felt. As she reached the first of two imbedded pictures, she grabbed up her cell phone and pressed four.

The call went directly to voice mail. She quickly ended the call and pressed six. After two rings, she heard Brian answer. "Hey, Trix. What's up?"

"Brian, I need you guys to bring Honey home right now," she instructed, gripping the phone.

"I don't understand what the rush is all about, sis," he replied. "Honey is just fine. She has an hour or two before she's done. Professor Baxter stopped by to make sure that Roberts gets all the information transferred to him. Honey wanted a latte so Wilson and I are at the coffee shop across the street while Carmelita stayed with her."

Trixie covered the mouthpiece on the phone before she yelled, "Jim! Matt! Maddie! Come here quick." She placed the Bluetooth on her ear and put the phone in her pocket. "Listen, Bri. I need you and Wilson to get back to Honey right now. She's in serious danger."

"What are you talking about, Trixie? What kind of danger?"

"I don't have time to tell you right now, Brian. Just get to Honey right now. The two of you and the PI's go into her office and lock the door and stay there until we get there," she ordered.

"But, Trix…"

"Now, Brian! We're on our way." She ended the call and picked up her laptop, as Jim entered the room followed closely by his parents, with Sherlock on their heels.

"What's happened, Trix?" Jim asked as he watched her remove her gun from the lockbox and place it on her waistband. "What's going on?" He paled when he saw Trixie's set face.

"Honey's in danger, Jim," she explained. Shoving the laptop into his hands, she ushered them toward the front door. "We need to get to her. Everyone get in Jim's SUV. I'll drive and you can look at the data Cooper just sent to my e-mail."

Leaving a barking Sherlock scratching on the inside of the brownstone's door, Trixie ushered everyone to the SUV.

Climbing into the vehicle, Trixie pushed two on her phone as she moved the seat forward. When she heard her call answered, she pulled the vehicle out onto the road and started talking immediately. "Cooper, listen, Honey is with him. Brian and Wilson went off to pick up coffee and left her with one bodyguard but in the office with both Baxter and Roberts. I may need some support here with the local PD. Do you think the SAC would grease the wheels for me?"

She listened, as she drove as fast as she dared towards Honey's office. "Great. I appreciate it." A minute passed before she spoke again. "Yeah, I'll call you as soon as we know she's OK. Thanks, Cooper."

"Trixie, tell us what is going on immediately," Matt demanded. He took Maddie's trembling hand in his. "What is going on with Honey?"

"Matt, until Brian and Wilson get back to her, Honey only has a single bodyguard between her and a killer."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

_Earlier at Honey's office…_

Honey noticed Brian shift uncomfortably on the small chair at the work table in her office. She smiled sweetly and asked, "Brian, would you go get me a Caramel Macchiato from the coffee shop across the street? Maybe you and Wilson could get some for all of us and stretch your legs. I'm sure you're bored watching us work."

"I'm never bored watching you do anything," Brian winked at her. "But coffee sounds like a great idea to me. Of course, it could be because medical residents live on the stuff. We'd have it in an I.V. if we could. Honey, would you write down everyone's order for me?"

"Ms. Wheeler, I don't think I should go," Wilson stated, crossing his arms and frowning.

"Nonsense, Wilson. You and Brian both are bored and this cramped space isn't helping," Honey retorted. "Besides, Carmelita will be here with me. Professor Baxter and David will be back from returning the files to the storage room shortly, so we can finish up and go home. I don't think it will take much more than another couple of hours to get done. At least I hope not. I don't think my head and shoulder will handle more than that."

Brian stepped forward and clasped her wrist gently, looking at his watch to check her pulse. "Do you want to leave now and go home to rest?" he asked as he moved his hand to cup her face and assess her visually.

As chocolate brown eyes met hazel, she said quietly, "I'm fine, Brian. Please don't worry. I'll tell you if I start to feel bad."

"If you're sure," he said, noting the blush bloom across her cheeks.

"Yes, I am."

Wilson cleared his throat and hid a smile behind his cupped hand. "Excuse me. I think I need that coffee now." David Roberts appeared in the doorway. "Brian and I are going on a coffee run across the street. You want anything? "

"Sure," David replied. "I'll take a non-fat half-caff triple grande quarter sweet sugar free vanilla non-fat lactaid extra hot extra foamy caramel macchiato."

"Sounds complicated," Wilson responded. "Did you get all that, Ms. Wheeler?"

Honey laughed. "Yes, Wilson, I got it. I added a decaf for the professor. He has a heart condition and doesn't drink the super-charged coffee that the rest of us do."

"Yo, Carm, let's talk a minute," Wilson requested, stepping out in the hallway with his partner.

Brian knelt by Honey's chair and took her hand. "Are you really doing OK?" he whispered.

A slight smile appeared on her face. "Yes, Brian. I'm doing fine," she returned, just as quietly. Her eyes flicked to David before returning to look at the face she knew as well as her own. "I just want to be done with this job, graduate and go home to Sleepyside. I'm ready," she added.

"We'll get you through this, Honey," he vowed as he caressed her hand.

She closed her eyes and enjoyed the gentle, soothing touch. "My head hurts some but I only have to be here a little bit longer."

"I know," he said softly, tucking her hair behind her ear with a gentle hand that caressed her cheek. "We'll go home soon and I'll take care of you."

Honey turned her face into his hand. Her eyelids fluttered open to reveal soft hazel eyes. "That would be nice, Brian. I'd like that."

Carmelita returned to the office and sat down in a guest chair facing Honey. Wilson leaned against the door frame with his beefy arms crossed over his chest and a smirk on his face as he watched Brian and Honey talk.

"Ready to go, doc?" Wilson inquired.

Brian reluctantly let go of Honey's face and hand as he rose to his feet. "Sure, Wilson." He met Honey's eyes. "We'll be back in a few minutes."

"OK." she smiled.

"Carm, remember what I said," Wilson ordered, as Brian moved past him toward the stairwell.

Carmelita waved one hand over her head in acknowledgement.

Honey saved the copied research file to the firm's shared drive. She noticed David move behind Carmelita's chair from the corner of her eye as she typed notes into a file. "Where did Professor Baxter go, David?"

"He got a phone call and left," David said.

Honey stopped typing, closed her eyes and rubbed her temples with her fingertips. "I hope everything is OK. He's been acting strangely for the last couple of weeks."

An odd noise made her look toward Carmelita, but David stood between them. He placed several papers on Honey's desk. "Oh, I think he's just fine. He's worried about the research but I told him everything was under control."

Honey resumed typing the notes from the legal pad. She felt rather than saw David move behind her. Since Carmelita was with them, she wasn't worried about his nearness.

"How much more do you need to type?" he asked.

"About three more sentences," she replied, fingers moving swiftly across the keys. A moment later, she announced, "Done."

She felt a sharp pain in her right shoulder. As she turned to the right, she saw Carmelita slumped in her chair with a line of saliva running from the corner of her mouth and then the world went black.

"Why do college towns always start road projects with massive detours the week before graduation?" Trixie asked with a growl. "I wish I had my gumball."

Matt's voice snapped in the air. "I really don't think this is the time to lament your lack of chewing gum, Trixie. We need to get to Honey and make sure she's OK."

Jim laugh was harsh sounding, then he explained, "Dad, Trixie means a magnetic police light like they always stick out the window and slap on the roof during police car chases in the movies. I got her one for her birthday."

"Oh," Matt sighed. "Sorry, Trixie. I'm just so anxious to get to Honey. The information Cooper sent to you scares the daylight out of me."

"We all are, Matt," Trixie agreed, smiling gently at him as she caught his eye in the rearview mirror. "I hope this detour doesn't take long but hopefully Brian and Wilson are with her and everything is just fine."

Jim, Maddie and Matt simultaneously murmured quietly, "I hope so."

Honey felt the sensation of movement before she could focus her mind on the voice muttering over her head. Fear flowed through her when she tried to move and couldn't. _Oh, dear God, I can't move, _she thought. _What has he given to me?_

"You stupid bitch," he snarled in a harsh whisper. "First you come back into my life and now you ruin my career," he growled as he shoved the office chair carrying Honey roughly into the wall by the freight elevator, jarring her awake.

He jabbed at the down button and continued his tirade. "I'm going to make sure you don't come back again and then I'm going after your mirror image."

The elevator doors slid quietly open in front of them. David grabbed the chair and shoved it over the threshold with a clatter before entering the car and pushing the down button.

She felt a hand touch and finger her hair. She held her breath and prayed her body wouldn't flinch when she heard him start talking again and the elevator began its descent.

"Mother, I'm so glad you came back to me," he said with a soft and mellow voice. "You know I didn't mean for the knife to go into you," he muttered. "I only meant to make you stay. I didn't want you to leave Dad and me. You shouldn't have run screaming when I pulled the knife out of the block and walked toward you. I only wanted to shut you up."

The elevator pinged on the ground floor. David put his hands back on the chair and Honey released the shudder of revulsion that she had been holding.

The chair bumped and bucked across the asphalt parking lot. Honey felt herself falling forward out of the chair but had no control of her limbs. An iron hand clamped down on her bruised shoulder.

"Oh, no you don't, Mother," David sneered in the raspy, harsh voice he'd used earlier. "You're not getting away from me this time."

Honey managed to open one eye a slit to see where they were, just as he stopped pushing the chair. She saw his arm reach across her field of vision and open the car door on his Honda. She managed to close her eye again.

David grabbed one arm and Honey's ponytail, and then lifted her to stand before shoving her into the car seat. He picked up her legs and forced them inside the car.

"Safety first," he chirped like a child, as he roughly drew the seatbelt across her body and dogged it down tight. "Time to go," he added, slamming the car door shut.

Several blocks away…

"Dammit!" Trixie yelled, smacking the heel of her hand on the steering wheel. "Why won't this stinking traffic move?"

Jim leaned out the window and gruffly answered, "There's a wreck up ahead about two blocks. If we can move up another hundred feet we can turn on the next street and go around it."

Maddie pulled her smartphone out of her bag and hit three on the speed dial. When Honey's voice mail answered, she snapped, "Why isn't Honey answering her phone?"

"I don't know, Maddie," Trixie responded, running her fingers through her tangled curls as the vehicle moved a car length forward. "Hopefully Brian and Wilson are with her."

"I hope so," Maddie muttered, opening an app on her phone. "Let's see what we can pick up from this." Tapping keys, she watched as the display filled in. "According to the phone tracker I have for Honey's phone, she is still in her office building."

"That's great," Matt exclaimed hopefully.

"I'm praying that thing knows what it's talking about," Trixie whispered under her breath as they moved forward a few more yards.

Ten minutes after Trixie called, Brian and Wilson exited the elevator and walked toward Honey's office carrying trays of coffee cups.

The bodyguard opened the door, let out a startled gasp and hurriedly set the coffee tray down. He knelt in front of the wingback guest chair. "Carm! Carmelita, are you all right?" he asked, reaching out for the occupant of the chair.

From the doorway, Brian scanned the room. "Honey!" he yelled. "Honey, where are you?" He moved quickly to the private bathroom off of the office. "Honey!" Two strides took him to the window overlooking the street where he saw nothing but normal traffic.

Panicked, he dropped the coffee tray on the desk and ran to the office across the hall, throwing open the door and rushing to the window overlooking the alley.

Five stories below, he saw David Roberts sling Honey into the front seat of a Honda Civic, kick away her office chair and slam the door shut. He glanced up and down the alleyway as he circled the vehicle, before climbing in and driving away.

"Honey!" Brian yelled, beating on the window.

"Doc?" Wilson yelled from Honey's office. "Carm's breathing pretty rough and her eyes are glazed."

"Call 911 for an ambulance and the police," Brian ordered, rushing back into the room to kneel by Carmelita. He quickly assessed her vital signs as he heard the large man talk to the dispatcher. "Put them on speaker."

"OK, Doc."

"This is Dr. Brian Belden. I have a female approximately twenty-six years old and one-hundred-twenty-five pounds. She has been injected with a substance from a hypodermic needle. Her pulse is 120, breathing weak and shallow. Eyes are dilated and skin flushed. I think she's had an allergic reaction to the injection." He ran his hand through his hair. "We're also reporting the kidnapping of Madeleine Grace Wheeler. Twenty-four. She was abducted by David Roberts. He is driving a gray Honda Civic. New York License plate DWR2012. Wheeler is five-foot-eight, one-hundred-twenty pounds, honey colored hair and hazel eyes. She's wearing jeans, a teal colored blouse and white Nikes with teal on them. Roberts is six-foot with light brown hair. Eye color is unknown. Roberts is wearing jeans and a button-down white Oxford shirt. How soon will they be here with the ambulance?"

They heard the dispatcher say, "Dang, Doctor, you give a better report than any cop I know." The voice over the phone dropped as they heard him radio. "Dispatch to Charlie1. What's your ETA to the scene?" There was a brief pause. "Copy that. Doctor, there is a unit two blocks away en route and the ambulance is five minutes out. There was a wreck over on Sexton Avenue. Please stay on the line until the officer arrives."

"OK. Thanks," Brian answered with a frown. "I just wish they'd hurry and Trixie and Jim would get here."

Trixie pulled the SUV to a stop at the barricade a block from Honey's office building.

"Oh my God, there's an ambulance and look at all the police," Maddie cried, turning panic-filled eyes on her husband, as she grasped his arm. "Matthew, what's going on?"

"I don't know, darling," he answered, looking at the gathered crowd.

"Let's go find out where Honey and Brian are," Jim said, as he leaned forward to stow the laptop.

A loud knock sounded on the driver's side window. Everyone in the vehicle jumped in surprise.

"All right, everyone. Stay calm and let me handle this," Trixie said under her breath as she smiled toward the officer. Pressing the button, she ran the vehicle windows down, as a heavily-built, middle-aged Ithaca Police officer stood waiting.

"Excuse me, ma'am, but you'll need to move this vehicle out of the street. You can't park it here," he advised.

After a quick glance at his uniform and name tag, Trixie calmly replied, "Officer Thomas, my name is Beatrix Belden and I'm with the FBI. We're here to find out what's happened."

A smirk appeared on the officer's face as he placed one hand on his tool belt and the other on the butt of his gun. "Sure, lady, and I'm a point guard for the Knicks." Eyes narrowed, he leaned toward the window. "I'm through asking you nicely. Now move the vehicle or I'll have it towed after I arrest you for disobeying the law."

"Officer Thomas, you know you can't arrest me because I'm not breaking any law," Trixie said with a sweet smile. "I am a federal agent. I can prove it. I'm going to reach into my pocket to get my badge and show it to you."

The officer's hand flexed around the grip of his gun as she slowly moved her hand to her pocket. Using two fingers, she extracted the leather case. With practiced ease, she flipped the case open to reveal her gold badge and identification card.

"What's going on here?" yelled a younger officer dressed in a lieutenant's uniform, as he walked briskly toward the vehicle. "Thomas, aren't you supposed to be manning the barricade?"

"LT," he said gruffly. "I was trying to get this woman to move her rig and she says she's FBI. I was just getting ready to check out her badge."

Trixie and the frustrated family sat in the SUV watching as the lieutenant approached the window and looked at the badge before taking it from Trixie's hand to examine it closer.

A slight smile appeared on the man's face before he glanced at Trixie and the rest of the passengers in the vehicle. "Special Agent Belden, I'm Lieutenant Sam King of the Ithaca Police Department. I apologize for Officer Thomas here but we have an investigation underway and we need to keep the area clear." He glanced to his right as two news vans pulled up behind the SUV. "That's all we need, the press," he muttered. "They must have heard on their scanners about the assault and alleged abduction."

"Abduction!" Maddie cried as the rest gasped.

"Lt. King, as you can see, I'm a federal agent. This is Matthew and Madeleine Wheeler and their son, Jim Frayne. We were on our way to pick up their daughter, Madeleine, and my brother, Brian Belden, from the office building where the ambulance and patrol cars are sitting. We lost contact with them and Hon-, uh, Madeleine's bodyguards approximately twenty minutes ago. We need to know they are safe. Especially if you say there has been an abduction."

King's eyes scanned the worried faces of the occupants of the SUV. "May I see some ID from the rest of you?" he requested.

"Certainly," Jim answered as they withdrew their identification and handed it to Trixie for delivery to King.

A few seconds later, King handed all of them back. "Thomas!" he barked. "We need to swing these two barricades back so Agent Belden can take her vehicle closer to the building and command post. Captain Russell will want to talk to them right away and keep them away from the press." He placed his hands on the edge of the open window and spoke gently to the passengers. "Agent Belden, if you'll please pull up by that black and white command SUV, I'll be right there to escort you to the command post we've set up in the law offices."

Matt, Jim and Maddie started firing questions at King. Only Trixie held her tongue and looked at him with worried eyes.

His solemn eyes regard Jim and the Wheelers. "Folks, folks, quiet," he requested, as he held up his hand. "We need you inside the perimeter and away from the press to brief you on what's going on. I'll be right behind you. I promise."

King stepped away and quickly helped Thomas push the barricade sections apart far enough for Trixie to drive through. As they returned them to position, King ordered, "Thomas, keep guard."

"We need to know what is going on," Matthew snapped. "We need to find out the details immediately, if that bastard has taken Honey. Who is the Police Chief here in Ithaca, Trixie?"

Trixie rolled the SUV to a stop beside a police car. A small sigh escaped her lips as she flicked her eyes to Jim. "Chief Williams is in charge of the Ithaca PD but we need to hear everything they know and then we can act. We need the details and then we can make our plan."

"But, Trixie, if he took Honey, we need to get as many people looking for her as quickly as possible," Maddie argued with tears in her eyes.

Powering up the windows, Trixie checked her service revolver then replaced it on her hip. "We will, Maddie. I promise you that I can find her if some bastard took her," she vowed. "Jim, bring my laptop, please. Let's go find out what they know."

A few minutes later, the worried foursome was led into a conference room down the hall from Honey's office.

"Where are my daughter and Brian?" Matt demanded, glaring at Lt. King who followed them into the room. "I want to see them immediately."

King ran a hand through his hair. "Look folks," he began. "I don't have all the information. You'll …"

"Then you better find someone who does have the information," Matt roared, placing his arm around a crying Maddie.

"Listen, Lieutenant, the Wheelers and Jim have been more than patient," Trixie reasoned. "We need to know everything and we need to know now. Each minute that passes, the trail to Honey gets cold. So why don't you get someone in here that does know and bring my brother and the PI's with him."

As Trixie finished, the door opened to reveal a man with a badge that read 'chief' on it and the eldest Belden sibling.

"Brian," she cried, running to hug him.

"I'm Scott Williams," the uniformed man said. "Chief of the Ithaca Police Department. I'm sorry to be meeting you under such circumstances," he added, shaking hands with Matt and Jim. "I regret it, but I must confirm for you that your daughter, Madeleine, has been taken from her office against her will. Please sit down and I'll be as concise as I can. Dr. Belden will fill in any information I'm missing."

As the police chief recapped the events of the morning, he watched anxiously as Brian paced the room like a stalking lion. His eyes shifted to the Wheeler family and noted their agitation and anger. He'd already received a call from the FBI warning him not to drop the ball on this. The mega-rich angry redheads sitting in front of him, fisting and un-fisting their hands made him wrap up the delivery of information quickly.

"Once we were on the scene, Ms. Chavez was rushed to the ER. We began a search of the entire building. The only other occupant we found was Professor Baxter unconscious in his office next door. Evidently, Roberts had shot him with something to put him out. We suspect Versed since that is what he attempted to use previously on Ms. Wheeler."

Trixie had also been observing the rising blood pressure and anger of the occupants. "Where is the other body guard, Wilson? Also, what has your department done so far to find Honey?" she asked, jumping onto the end of the chief's sentence.

As she opened and booted up her laptop, the chief answered, "Dr. Belden sent the second bodyguard to the hospital with Ms. Chavez and Professor Baxter. We have an APB out on Roberts' Honda. Units have been dispatched to Roberts' residence, but there is no sign of them there." The chief ran his hand along the back of his neck. "How did you know that Roberts was the one who attacked Ms, Wheeler?"

Trixie typed into her laptop as she answered, "My partner e-mailed me some information this morning that provides a picture of Roberts' mother. He allegedly killed her when he was a teen because she was leaving his father. His mother's picture looks exactly like Mrs. Wheeler and her daughter. David's father had him in a therapeutic home where he received counseling and medication to help with his mental instability. Evidently, it didn't take."

"Damn! I'm not sure what else we can do. I've rolled every possible unit that I have available plus six units from the state police to the streets to look for that car and them. It's like they've disappeared."

"Dammit!" Matt exploded, slapping his hands on the table, standing and shaking with fury. "She had a bodyguard. How did that SOB get her out of here? Did he leave any clues at his house as to where he was taking her? Why are so many cops here instead of out looking for my daughter?"

"I've been asking the same question ever since they got here, Matt," Brian growled. "The bulk of them have been standing around talking," he added, swinging his arm wide to indicate the roomful of officers.

Jim opened his mouth to add his comments but snapped it shut when it dawned on him that Trixie wasn't contributing to the discussion or even paying attention but tapping on her laptop. He leaned toward her and queried softly, "Trixie?"

"Hmmm," she answered, moving the mouse to make a map full screen and zooming in to street level, following a blinking red dot.

He focused on the screen as she copied the address of the dot's location and pasted it into a search engine. "Trixie, what is that? What are you doing?"

"There you are." she muttered as she tapped more keys.

"Trixie!" Jim snapped. "What is it?"

She turned and looked at Jim, then glanced at her brother and the Wheelers. A light rosy flush appeared on her cheeks. "Well, I was worried that something like this would happen," she said quietly. "So I had Cooper add a GPS locator to Honey's watch before he gave it to the courier. I was hoping that it wouldn't be needed and I could just retrieve it and Honey would never be the wiser. Unfortunately, we did need it."

Jim cupped her face gently in his hands. "Baby, you mean you put a tracker in Honey's watch?"

Trixie nodded her head slowly.

"Oh baby, you're the greatest!" he exclaimed as he kissed her swiftly on the lips.

Brian rushed to his sister and picked her up in a bear-hug. "That's fantastic, sis."

Pandemonium broke out as the Wheelers, police and everyone in the room tried to crowd around Trixie's computer.

The police chief barked, "King get in here. We need to send SWAT and all units to this address right away."

Trixie slammed the lid down on the laptop so no one could see it. "NO!" she yelled. "No one is going anywhere near that house until we work up the proper plan to get Honey back safely and Roberts in custody. So everyone sit down and let's talk."

_Meanwhile at Professor Baxter's house…_

David backed his car into the attached garage and turned off the ignition before exiting to put the door down. He moved to the passenger side of the Honda and opened the door. "Hi, honey, we're home," he snickered, unbuckling her seatbelt.

His pale fingers grabbed Honey's arm and ponytail, then pulled her from the car. Roughly, he dragged her to the door leading to the house and released her.

"Mother, I told you that you'd never leave me," he muttered as he walked to the car and kicked the door shut. "You'll stay with me always, Mother. I'll never let you go."

He returned to where Honey lay crumpled on the floor. He saw her watching him with wide, scared eyes. "As long as you don't leave me, I won't kill you," he snarled, slapping her hard across the face, making her head snap back into the door and knocking her out. "You got that?"

Opening the door into the house, he grabbed her arm and her ponytail, then dragged her inside.

"The plan is simple. Dressed in street clothes, Lt. King will go to the front door and ring until Roberts answers the door. Once he's occupied, I'll sneak into the house and gather all the intel I can about where Honey is being held and her condition," Trixie explained. "I'll text out the information to the command post and then SWAT can follow me in."

"Trixie," Brian argued. "I need to help get Honey back."

"No, Brian. I know you're upset because you weren't with her and you feel like it's your fault Roberts got to her, but it's too dangerous."

Jim interrupted before Brian could argue more. "Bri, we need you ready to take care of Honey once we get her back."

"We want to go along, too, Brian," Maddie said sharply. "But we understand the need to let Trixie and SWAT deal with this so we get Honey back safely."

"They're right, son," Matt agreed with a loud sigh. "Maddie and I are going to be waiting impatiently outside the perimeter in the SUV. The important thing is to just get Honey back safely."

Honey's eyes flickered slowly open. _Oh, my head hurts. _She focused on the chandelier above her, trying to remember where she had seen it before. _I'm lying on the floor of Professor Baxter's home office _she thought. She listened for movement or any sign that David was near. Hearing nothing, she tried to move her fingers. She felt the rug under them. _I can move! _She stretched out her legs and arms one at a time. Moving as slowly and as quietly as she could, she paused between each appendage to listen for him. As Honey moved her left leg back into place, she heard a footstep in the hall. Quickly, she closed her eyes and concentrated on breathing slowly and regularly.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Jim kissed Trixie, then whispered, "Stay safe, Shamus. I love you." Tugging her navy blue ball cap down over her curls, he added, "Now go get my sister."

A broad grin spread across her face as Jim formed his hand into a cradle. She placed her foot in his hands and placed hers on his shoulders. "That's my plan, handsome. I love you, too." Jim lifted her to the top of the stone wall surrounding the Baxter estate.

At the top of the wall, she checked her microphone. "Command, Belden. Radio check."

"We have you loud and clear, Belden. No movement. All blinds are closed on the ground floor. Top floor, window three from the west is open. No movement of the watch. You are go."

Trixie grabbed the top of the wall and pulled herself up on it. "Copy command. On the wall and going in."

She flashed a smile over her shoulder at Jim, blew him a kiss and disappeared off the wall.

Quickly and quietly, Trixie ran across the lawn to the side of a screened porch where a trellis was located. She quirked a brow at it as she assessed its strength. Satisfied that it would hold her, she began her climb to the roof of the porch where she could reach the open window.

Once on the roof, she moved cautiously toward the window. Listening, she didn't hear any noise coming from within the house. She listened for several more minutes before she moved in front of the screen. Trixie took a knife from the sheath strapped to her leg and ran the sharp blade along the sides and bottom of the screen frame. She paused again to listen, motioned a "thumbs up" and slipped inside the bedroom.

"Madeleine," David chided. "You just don't look very comfortable there on the rug." He laughed harshly as he grabbed her wrists and pulled Honey upright. "Let's sit on the couch for a while and talk about the trip we're going to take shortly."

Honey told her body and muscles to stay limp as David jerked her up and tossed her on the couch. As he pulled her head around by her ponytail again, she couldn't stop the groan that passed quietly through her lips.

"Are you waking up again, my dear?" he asked, slapping her face roughly.

Honey couldn't stop another groan escaping but she did manage to stay limp even with David's hand pulling her hair. She felt him stiffen beside her.

"Madeleine!" he snarled. "Wake up!" He drew his arm back to slap her again when the doorbell rang.

Trixie scanned the bedroom as she moved silently to the door. Obviously, the room was the Baxters' bedroom; she paused as she heard a voice coming from below. Unable to make out what was being said, she eased her head out the door and looked up and down the hall. The voice became clearer as she neared the top of the stairs. It was David and he was yelling at Honey and, from the sound of it, slapping her around.

She peeked over the bannister to the lower level of the house and watched for movement. When the doorbell rang, she jumped.

Jim and Brian stood at the base of the trellis.

"She's going to kill us," Jim whispered to his best-friend.

"I don't care," Brian whispered in return. "Honey is in danger and I just feel like we need to be in there."

Running a hand through his thick, auburn hair, Jim sighed. "OK," he said softly. "But you're going first, because I don't want Trixie to shoot me."

Brian rolled his eyes, then turned and started his climb.

David stared toward the entry hall. When the doorbell rang a second time, he walked out into the hall and looked toward the front of the house.

Honey watched from slitted eyes as he paced back and forth in the hall. When the bell rang a third time, she closed her eyes and waited. She listened as David walked down the planked hallway and opened the front door. He and another man were speaking softly in the distance, as Honey heard the quiet squeak of a floorboard.

Sam King hoped he'd be able to give Agent Belden enough time to find Ms. Wheeler and get the lay of the land. He poked the doorbell for the third time and hoped that Roberts would answer the door. He was checking the windows around the door for twitching curtains when the door swung open to reveal David Roberts.

"Yes? Can I help you?"

"Hello. I'm Sam King. I have an appointment with Professor Baxter at 1:30," he said, trying to see around Roberts into the house. He looked at his watch and added, "I know I'm five minutes late but traffic downtown was backed up and they had roads blocked off for some reason." He stuck his hands into the pockets of the khakis he'd had in his locker at the station and jingled the coins and keys to cover-up any noise Belden might make. "He should be expecting me."

David answered quickly. "Gee, man. I'm sorry but the Prof and his wife had to leave town unexpectedly. He called me this morning and asked me to house-sit for him. I don't think he'll be back before next week."

"Are you serious?" King asked incredulously. "We've had this appointment for over a month," he ranted. "I need this meeting to finish my article about teaching law. I cannot believe this."

"Sorry, man. I can't help you," David said, stepping back. "Listen, I have something on the stove, so I gotta go. Call the Prof's office in the morning and find out when you can reschedule."

King affected a downcast look. "Thanks, man. I'll do that." He stepped back toward the drive where an unmarked, plain sedan was parked. "See ya."

Trixie froze when the board under her foot let out a soft squeak. Lifting her foot, she stepped quickly backward into the dining room. Glancing behind her, she moved onto the oriental carpet under the dining table. Her eyes flicked forward again and what she saw stopped her in her tracks. Honey was on the couch in what appeared to be an office. Blood was dried on her face near the corner of her mouth. The ponytail that had been smooth and flippy at the back of her head this morning was now off-center with tendrils of hair lying limply around her face.

She heard the front door close and heavy footsteps coming closer as she slipped behind the china hutch and pulled out her phone to send an urgent text message.

David pulled a syringe from his pocket and twirled it around his fingers, as he watched King through the living room curtains. As the car drove off of the estate and down the road to the corner, he walked toward the office trying to decide if it was safe to keep to his plan and stay at Baxter's house until nightfall.

Standing in the doorway, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head like a raging migraine headache. David rubbed his forehead with the heel of his hand. "Must think. Must decide," he muttered. He snapped to attention and approached Honey. The syringe still twirling in his fingers. "Madeleine, wake up," he ordered.

Honey sat motionless waiting for her chance to escape. She felt a change in the air just as he stopped spinning the syringe.

"Time to go, Mother," he announced as he stepped closer to Honey. He grabbed her arm and pulled the tip off of the end of the syringe.

Honey sprung up from the couch, grabbing David by the arm holding the needle. She twisted his wrist around as she shoved him back. The toe of his foot caught on the coffee table and he stumbled backward. As they grappled for the syringe, Honey managed to scratch the needle along his thigh, and then impaled it into him.

"Ow! Bitch!" he screamed, slapping her hard across the face, and then shoving her away. He watched as she fell across the coffee table, stunned by the impact. David reached toward the needle hanging from his leg as he moved to the hallway.

Trixie suddenly appeared in the doorway of the dining room with her gun drawn. "Stop right there, Roberts," Trixie commanded.

David stopped just past the bottom of the stairs and turned toward Trixie as Honey stumbled out of the office.

A gasp from the top of the stairs and the sight of Brian and Jim charging down them distracted Trixie and gave David the opportunity he needed to make his escape. He charged toward the garage. The confusion and congestion in the hallway kept Trixie from immediately following him.

Hitting the garage door opener, David ran to his Honda and threw himself into the seat. As he pulled in his left leg and depressed the clutch to start the car, the steering wheel pushed the plunger of the syringe. He released the clutch and pulled quickly out of the garage.

As the full syringe of Versed ran through his bloodstream to his heart, the organ overloaded and went into arrhythmia. David's foot pressed down harder on the accelerator as his body seized. He was unconscious as the Honda hit the one-hundred-year-old elm tree so hard that he was projected through the windshield.

"Get out of the way!" Trixie shouted, as she shoved past Jim and Brian then broke into a run behind Roberts. As she passed through the dining room, she heard the garage door opening and a car start. "Oh no you don't, you bastard," she growled. "You are not getting away from me."

She had just reached the doorway into the garage when the Honda's engine revved and the compact car shot out of the garage. Trixie broke into a run behind the little car. She watched in horror as the vehicle sped up and went straight into the Baxters' ancient elm tree with enough force for David to penetrate the windshield to hit the tree with a sickening thud.

As Trixie moved across the lawn to the car, the driveway filled with police cars, two ambulances and a black SUV.

Seeing Honey leaning heavily against the doorframe to the office, Brian reached out to place an arm around her and lead her back to the couch to wait for the paramedics to arrive. "Come on, Honey. Let's go sit down," he soothed, as his hand made contact with her arm.

Suddenly, Honey lashed out at Brian, clawing at him, kicking and hitting him with her fists.

"Honey. Honey, it's me, Brian," he said softly, as she cried and hit him. "Shhhh." His soft, soothing voice finally reached her and the blows ceased.

Her body began to shake violently, as all the fear and emotions overwhelmed her. Reaching out with her last bit of strength, Honey pressed her body into the warmth of Brian's and wrapped her arms around his neck before breaking down in hysterical tears.

Brian closed his eyes to hide the tears in his eyes. They were tears of joy to be holding Honey in his arms and worry about the fear she had endured.

Jim moved behind his sister and pressed his hand on her shoulder. She flinched away and pushed more into Brian's body. Jim's face paled at her reaction to his touch. His sad eyes met his friend's over Honey's head.

"Honey, sweetheart, Jim is here and needs to see for himself that you're all right," Brian coaxed her quietly, as one would a scared or injured pet. He felt her sag against his chest as the adrenaline rush she'd been under subsided. Carefully, he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the couch in the living room. Lowering them both onto the couch, Brian kept her snug against him as they settled into place.

Jim trailed behind him, anxiously wanting to do something to help his sister. "I'll see if I can find Trixie and get a glass of water for her," he offered before hurriedly leaving the room. As he reached the hallway, Jim's eyes filled. He moved toward the kitchen like a man four times his age. He was blinded by tears of relief for his sister's safety and red-hot anger at the man who had done this to her.

The door into the garage was still open and Jim could hear voices calling orders, sirens and noise from outside. "We need paramedics over here. She's pretty banged up."

"Trixie," he breathed, as he hurried outside. "Trixie!" he yelled as he saw firefighters and paramedics around the Honda.

"Over here, Jim."

His head whipped around to see Trixie and his parents beside an ambulance. She and his dad were kneeling by his mother who was sitting on the ground with while a paramedic cleaned her scraped knees.

Relieved to see Trixie and his parents all right, Jim ran to them. Picking Trixie up in his arms he crushed her to him and buried his face in her curls. Violent shivers coursed through his body as he held her and thought of Honey's reaction to his touch. "Trix, baby, are you OK?" he asked, leaning back to search her face.

Placing a soft kiss to his lips, she replied, "Yes, I'm fine."

He gently placed her back on her feet, keeping her snug to his side.

Trixie punched him in the shoulder and then shook her finger in his face. "Don't you ever, never ever, do that again, James Winthrop Frayne the Second. Never enter a building where there is an armed person in order to…" she paused to glare at him. Making air quotes, she finished, "Save the little woman." She punched him again. "I'm a trained FBI agent. I carry a gun with marksmanship medals and a sniper rating. I know three types of martial arts." Poking him in the chest, she concluded, "And. I. Don't. Want. To. Have. To. Worry. About. You. Getting. Hurt!"

He was smart enough to know he could have gotten them all hurt or worse. "Sorry, babe," he said sincerely. "I know I shouldn't have but, you and Honey were in danger."

"Ouch," Maddie cried. "Young woman, you don't have to try to rub my skin off with that disinfectant," she chastised the paramedic who was cleaning her scraped hands.

"Mom, what happened to you?" Jim asked, leaning to look at her hands.

"I tripped over my own big feet as I was getting out of the SUV," Maddie explained. "Jim, tell me, where is Honey?" she demanded, as bandages were placed on her palms.

Jim ran his hand through his hair. "She's inside with Brian. He went to help her back to the couch and she lashed out at him. When he finally got through to her who he was, she grabbed him around the neck and won't let go." Anger filled him again at David Roberts. "Where's Roberts? Did you catch him? Have the police taken him to jail?"

Finally glancing around the yard, Jim noticed the body on the hood of the Honda. Police detectives were taking photos and measurements of the car from all angles. The firefighters were standing by watching the smoke puff out from under the car hood. Paramedics were leaning against an ambulance with a gurney and a blanket waiting for their cargo.

"Oh," Jim uttered softly, acknowledging the loss of life. He sighed loudly then addressed the female paramedic who was packing up from treating his mother's hands. "I need you inside to check out my sister. She got roughed up quite a bit and I think she'd prefer a woman examine her, if you don't mind."

"Sure. Let me grab a full kit and my partner, then I'll head right in."

"Thanks."

Matt helped Maddie to her feet. "Son, let's go see Honey."

"Matt, you and Trixie go on in. Get Honey a glass of water," Maddie instructed. "I doubt that man gave her anything while he had her." She gingerly took Jim's arm with her bandaged hand. "We'll be behind you in a minute. Between my knees and hands, I'm going pretty slowly."

Trixie and Matt exchanged looks with Maddie before turning to hurry toward the house behind the paramedics.

"Come on, Mother. I want to get back inside to see what the ambulance crew and Brian decide."

Maddie sighed softly. "All right, Jim. But I want you to know that I liked it better when you called me 'Mom'."

"I didn't think you'd ever want me to be that informal with you," Jim replied, scanning her face with thoughtful green eyes.

She cupped his cheek with an injured hand. "Oh, Jim. I just never wanted you to think I was trying to step into your birth mother's spot," she told him softly. "But I love being your mother. When you called me 'Mom' a few minutes ago, it was wonderful."

Jim pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I love you, Mom," he said, giving a gentle tug on her arm. "Let's go see how Honey is doing."

Maddie fell into step beside him. "Jim, I just want you to know how proud and grateful I am to you for getting your sister back safe and sound."

Jim grinned as they entered the living room. "Funny thing is, Mom," he chuckled softly. "Honey saved herself."

Trixie stood behind the sofa watching as the paramedics performed a preliminary examination of Honey. She was worried about her friend and her reluctance to let go of Brian, even for her father. Honey had resisted letting the paramedics touch her until Brian had whispered quietly to her. When Matt had taken a seat next to them on the couch and reached his arms out to his daughter, she had grabbed her father around his neck with one arm, but didn't let go of Brian. After sitting for several minutes at an awkward angle to grasp both men, Honey slid between them on the couch but kept an arm wrapped around one each of theirs.

She glanced up at Jim's worried face, then took his hand into hers, giving a gentle squeeze. Maddie stood on Jim's other side, clenching her hands together in front of her as she anxiously watched the exam.

"Miss, we need to transport you to the hospital to have a doctor check you out," the older paramedic advised Honey. "Your pulse is fast and erratic. You most likely have a concussion based on the knot on your head. Also, you need blood work to determine what he shot into you to make sure you're all right."

"She's already got a concussion," Matt said hurriedly. "She has a bump on the left side of her head toward the back just below the crown."

The paramedic probed the area with light fingers. "Sorry," he said when he noticed Honey wince. "You have another bump on the right side now." He flicked worried eyes between Matt and Maddie. "She really needs a CT and full work up to determine her status."

Brian quietly said, "I agree. Honey, sweetheart, it's time to go to the hospital. The sooner you get checked out the sooner we can go home."

"All right," Honey answered quietly. She lifted wary eyes and looked around afraid. "I want to leave here. Now, please."

The paramedics stood and prepared the medical stretcher for Honey. "We're ready, Ms. Wheeler," the older man said.

Honey looked at the paramedic with apprehension in her eyes. "Brian, I want you to go in the ambulance with me."

"I was planning on it," he assured her. "You fellas don't mind having a doctor ride along, do you?"

A kind smile appeared on the older paramedic's face. "I'd insist on it myself, Doc."

Once Brian helped Honey to be seated on the stretcher, Trixie walked up and gave her a gentle hug. "We'll be right behind you in the rental. You mind my oldest brother, OK?" she said softly. "Bob-Whites stick together and have each other's backs. I love you, Bee."

Honey hugged her friend closer. "I love you too, Shamus." She released her friend but held onto her hand for a few seconds longer.

"All right, out of my way. Mother coming through," Maddie announced, moving people away from Honey with exaggerated movements. "I need to hug my baby girl." She cradled Honey's face in her hands, saying softly, "Honey, I'm proud of you."

"Oh, Mom," Honey cried, throwing her arms around her mother and shuddering with tears.

"Sweetheart, Jim told me how you took care of yourself. You need to be strong for a bit longer and then you can rest," Maddie said, tears filling her eyes. "Daddy and I will be with you when the police talk to you after you've been checked out. Then we'll get you home to the Manor House as soon as the doctors say you can travel."

Lt. King appeared in the doorway of the living room. "Good. You're ready to go," he said after he introduced himself to Honey. "Ms. Wheeler, everyone, I need to advise you that David Roberts did not survive the impact of his car hitting the tree out front," he paused. "I also need to let you know that the end of the driveway, sidewalk and street are full of reporters. Jason," he addressed the older paramedic. "I had one of my officers move the rig over to the edge of the garage. I hope you don't mind but we've already had two breaches of the scene by the press. If I ever get my hands on that hack, Paul Trent, from the _White Plains Whistle_, I'll make him your next customer."

"Paul Trent is here?" Matt asked with a scowl.

"Yes, sir," King answered. "He was escorted from the premises, but he is standing at the gate telling everyone how he knows you, Ms. Wheeler, Agent Belden and your family."

"I hate to ask but can someone move the SUV up to the house, too?" Jim requested. "We don't want anyone with a telephoto lens to get shots of any of us."

"Already done, Jim," King replied with a smile. His face softened as he returned his gaze to Honey. "Ms. Wheeler, we'll follow you and your family to the hospital. Once there, a member of our forensics staff will need to work with the doctor who examines you to gather all trace evidence and your clothing. Once the doctors are done examining you and give us the go ahead, we'll take your statement. All right?"

Honey lay back on the stretcher and closed her eyes. "Yes, I understand. Thank you, Lt. King. I appreciate all your consideration. I'd like my mother and Trixie to be with me during the exam," she answered quietly. "May we go now please?"

"Sure thing, Miss," said the paramedic, Jason, as he checked the straps on the stretcher. "Let's go, doc."

Jim drove the SUV slowly down the driveway behind the ambulance carrying his sister and his friend. As they reached the gate, the waiting press and photographers surged into the sides of the vehicles. The whir of cameras and clamor of voices yelling questions at them as they exited the estate was deafening.

Lt. King's voice came over the portable radio Trixie held. "Agent Belden, I'm glad we talked before the rigs rolled. We'll keep the hunters contained long enough for the drake and the duck to start their flight north for spring. Copy?"

"Copy that, LT. We'll meet you as arranged. Belden out," she replied, before returning the radio to her lap.

"Everything OK, babe?" Jim asked, as he maneuvered the SUV cautiously through the mob.

Trixie smiled as she saw police officers place barricades at the end of the street. "It couldn't be better," she giggled. "Lt. King is going to block the press in this area while we travel to the hospital. We worked out a quick code while they were loading Honey."

As soon as both vehicles pulled through the barricade, officers closed off the street to traffic. Jim picked up speed to stay behind the ambulance. He reached out and clasped Trixie's hand. "Baby, that was a great idea."

"Actually, son, it was mine," Matt said with a chuckle. "Any chance I have to thwart the press, and in particular that idiot weasel, Trent, I'm proud of."

Maddie squeezed his hand and said, "Darling, you are amazing."

Twenty minutes later, as they pulled into the hospital, Matt's cell phone rang. "Wheeler," he barked.

"Um, Matt, it's Regan. We're at Honey's brownstone and there's no one here but a street-full of reporters. Once we got through them and opened up the door, Sherlock came flying out. Luckily, she's so well trained to come to us or we'd have never caught her. What's going on?"

"Oh, Regan," Matt said tiredly. "We're at the hospital. That madman David Roberts took her but we got her back and she's at the hospital being checked out."

"Damn, Matt," Regan said gruffly. "What can we do to help?"

"Regan, can you finish up the packing and load up Honey's personal stuff."

"Sure, Matt," he agreed readily. "Does Honey need anything for the hospital?"

"We'll let you know."

"OK. Once you know more about Honey's status, we'll figure out what we need to do," he assured his friend and employer.

"Sure. Thanks, Regan. See you soon."

Over the next three hours, the ER doctor, nurse and police forensics officer examined and noted all of her injuries. She had blood drawn for testing and was checked for sexual assault. Trixie and Maddie stood in silent sentry by her for each test and examination.

In the room next door, Lt. King and an officer assigned to record the police report took individual statements from Jim, Brian and then Matt.

Honey was finally sent for her CT scan. Brian escorted her for the test, as the police interviewed Maddie before talking to Trixie.

When the nurse's aide returned with Honey and Brian to the ER exam room, the hospital admissions manager informed them they were ready to move her to a patient room.

Everyone including the police officers followed her gurney toward the elevator.

As the doors opened, several voices were heard yelling. "There they are!" "Ms. Wheeler, were you raped?" "Mr. Wheeler, what do you think about the abduction?" "Frayne, did you really kill the man who took your sister?"

They hurried onto the elevator and faced toward the back until the doors closed.

"Mr. Wheeler, we'll keep them off the floor and away from your family," Lt. King promised.

"My family and I appreciate that, lieutenant," Matt sighed. "I think we need to discuss what to do about the press and make a statement to them to keep the vultures from circling." His worried eyes watched a single tear trickle down Honey's pale cheek. "We need to make plans. I'll call George Rainsford while you get Honey's statement and then we'll figure out our next step."

As the officer recording Honey's statement hit save on his laptop, he commented, "I've been doing police work for twenty years and have done hundreds of statements, but this is the first time I've ever had six people give them and be as consistent and thorough as you people have been." He shook his head and added, "It's amazing that you all could even tell us the color of the man's socks."

Trixie smiled at him and Lt. King. "We all have an eye for detail because we've gone through these so many times."

"I don't understand," he said, staring at Trixie. "You've only been with the FBI a couple of years. How could you have gone through that many interviews, and the others, too? They're civilians."

"Well, the summer after my thirteenth birthday, I met Honey when she moved in next door to us," Trixie began, watching Honey smile for the first time.

Honey felt drowsy as she listened to the comforting sounds of her family and friends talking quietly in her hospital room.

"Shouldn't the test results be back by now?" Maddie asked impatiently. "We need to figure out how long Honey needs to stay here and when we can head for home."

"The ER physician turned Honey over to the on-call doc," Brian explained. "He needs to review the test results and consult with any specialists..." he trailed off as the door swung open.

Honey's eyes flickered open to see a woman in scrubs with a white coat over them standing in the doorway. Her grey-streaked dark hair was cut short and curled around her smiling face. She brought the head of her bed up into a seated position as she watched the doctor step into the room and let the door close behind her.

"I'm Dr. Beverly Sullivan, Chief of Neurology," she introduced herself. "I'm here to talk to Ms. Wheeler regarding her test results." She flipped through the patient chart in her hand and then pulled a sheet of paper from a manila folder. "I don't see a HIPPA form for you, Ms. Wheeler," she informed them. "Either everyone needs to leave or you need to fill out this form before I give you the results."

"I'll fill out the form," Honey replied, taking the outstretched document and pen. She quickly filled in the names of everyone present, signed, dated it and handed it back.

Glancing at the document, Dr. Sullivan looked up at the assembled group. "Which of you is Dr. Brian Belden?"

"I am," he replied from his position by the window.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," the doctor said with an easy smile. "I was a student of Dr. Sellars in New York City. The last time I was in the City with my husband, we had dinner with Dr. Sellars and his wife. He mentioned you to us. He's so proud of you and your skills that he sounded like he wanted to adopt you," she chuckled.

Brian's face beamed with pride at the compliment. "Dr. Sellars is a great man. I'm honored he said such kind things about me."

"Well, I'm sure you deserve every word of the praise," she asserted. Turning to Honey, she placed the patient chart on the bed table and took Honey's hand in hers. "Let's get past the worrisome piece first." Patting Honey's hand, she said kindly, "There was no sign of rape."

A collective sigh of relief echoed in the room. Honey closed her eyes and took several deep breaths to keep from crying. Since she had been unconscious at least twice, she had been scared that she had been violated. She felt the doctor transfer her hand to a soft, smooth one as her other hand was picked up from the bed. Drawing one more shuddering breath into her lungs, she opened her eyes to see her mother and Trixie at her side. Her father held one foot and Jim her other with Brian between them.

"I knew that was a big scary monster in the room and on everyone's mind. So let's continue now," Dr. Sullivan stated, receiving a watery smile from her patient.

"Thanks for that," Maddie murmured, wiping her eyes.

"OK, let's see now," the doctor flipped through the chart. "You were injected with Versed. There wasn't much in your system and there wasn't anything but it in your bloodstream." She smiled reassuringly. "You have multiple cuts and bruises. In fact, you have two severely bruised ribs on your left side. You'll need rest, do breathing exercises and you cannot do any strenuous exercise or work for three weeks."

"Not a problem," Honey said quietly. "I'm pretty sore."

Dr. Sullivan laughed softly. "I'd be more surprised if you weren't sore considering what you've gone through." Glancing at the chart notes again, she continued with the report. "You received another nasty hit to the head but on the other side. Based on the CT, there is no new area of significant damage. All the tests indicate your concussion is no worse that it was previously."

"There is no permanent damage then?" Matt asked sharply.

"No. None at all," the doctor replied instantly. "If she has a headache that gets worse and does not go away; weakness, numbness or decreased coordination; repeated vomiting or nausea; or slurred speech, then you need to get her back to an ER immediately."

"She had headaches and vomiting yesterday with the original concussion," Trixie said quickly.

Dr. Sullivan looked quizzically at Brian. "What did you think, Dr. Belden?"

"That was before I got there last night," he answered.

Honey's doctor glanced at everyone in the room. "Even though Honey hasn't had any issues today that we know about, we all need to be diligent about her symptoms. We'll be keeping her overnight, at least, for observation," she informed them. "Once she is released, if you see any of those signs or if she has any of the following you need to get her to an ER right away." She began reading from the list, "If she appears very drowsy or can't be woken up; has one pupil larger than the other; has a convulsions or seizures; can't recognize people or places; gets more and more confused, restless, or agitated; if she has unusual behavior or loses consciousness, those are all critical. Got it?"

Everyone nodded solemnly.

"We'll make sure she follows all the instructions, doctor," Maddie said confidently.

"Yes, she will," Brian agreed quirking a brow at Honey, then winking at her.

Honey stuck her tongue out at him before closing her eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Matt and Maddie hurried down the corridor toward Honey's hospital room. They wanted to make sure they heard the doctor's report of the test results.

Pushing open the door, the first thing they noticed was Brian standing by the bed holding Honey's hand.

A flush rose up his neck to spread across his face as his hand moved to her wrist and he looked at his watch as if checking her pulse.

"How's Honey's pulse, Dr. Belden?" Maddie asked with a smirk, crossing the room to sit down in a visitor chair.

"She's doing fine, Mrs. Wheeler," Brian said with a smile and wink to the patient before he moved to stand by the window.

"Where have you been, Dad?" Honey asked quietly.

"Your mother and I went to see how Jared is doing," Matt answered. "He is resting comfortably. Roberts shot him with Versed, too," he explained with a frown. "The doctors say he'll be able to go home tomorrow."

"Well, that's good news," Jim commented. "Now all we need to know is how Carmelita is doing and the results of sis's tests."

"I'm sure everything will be fine," Trixie said with confidence.

An hour later, Dr. Sullivan tapped on the open door to Honey's room. She entered followed closely by a short elderly gentleman in a black suit and Lt. King.

"Hello, again. You have all met Lt. King with the Ithaca PD. I'd like to introduce you to Clifford Wilkins," she said, indicating the elderly man. "He is the director of the hospital."

Introductions were made around the room before the director addressed the group. "I'm sorry to meet you all under these circumstances. I'm very glad you weren't injured any worse than you were, Ms. Wheeler." He smiled kindly at Honey before glancing at her family and friends. "We have an issue that I need to bring to your attention. The media is crawling all over the ER and lobby of the hospital. We have asked the Ithaca PD to assist us in keeping them from disrupting hospital functions but they are here to find out everything they can about Ms. Wheeler's abduction, treatment and Mr. Roberts. They are quite insistent and we even discovered they attempted to bribe one of our ER nurses to get pictures and information for them." He made a disgusted snort. "That reporter from the _White Plains Whistle_ was arrested for criminal trespass."

"Trent," Matt snarled.

Wilkins nodded, showing a slight smile. "That's the one. Bottom line here, folks, is that we need to come up with a plan to deal with the press, protect Ms. Wheeler's privacy and allow her to leave the hospital without being harassed by the reporters hanging about."

"Well, it sounds to me like we need a diversion to get Honey home," a deep voice drawled from the doorway.

"Dan!" Trixie cried as she rushed to the door where Dan stood, with Bonnie and Wilson. She hugged her friends, then pulled them into the room where they greeted Honey before moving on to say hello to everyone else.

"How's Carmelita doing, Wilson?" Honey asked quietly.

"She's doing well, Ms. Wheeler," the big man responded. "Dr. Sullivan here told her that if she'd received two more milliliters of Versed, she'd have gone beyond being knocked out," he remarked with a shudder. "I just wanted to let you folks know how Carm's doing and to get your friends, Dan and Bonnie, past Junior and the cop guarding the hall."

He moved forward as Honey held out her hand to him. "Thank you, Wilson, for taking care of me."

The bear of a man looked embarrassed. "I don't know that we did all that well, Ms. Wheeler. Roberts still got to you and you got hurt, so we failed you."

Honey squeezed his hand as she looked at the troubled man with sad eyes. "Wilson, you both did a wonderful job. I'm safe and alive. That's all that matters. Please make sure Carmelita knows that."

"Yes, ma'am," he said quietly. "I will. You take care, Ms. Wheeler. Oh, Mr. Wheeler," he paused in the doorway. "I'm supposed to tell you that Mr. Marlow said he owes you."

Matt's face looked as if it was carved of stone. "Yes, he does. You take care, Wilson." Standing he shook the man's hand before Wilson walked away down the hall.

"OK, Dan," Trixie demanded, pushing the door shut. "Tell us what you have in mind."

Brian stood watching Honey sleep, leaning against the window sill of her room. She was peaceful right now but she'd had a nightmare two hours earlier that had her screaming. When she'd finally awakened, she was embarrassed that the on-call doctor, night nurse and he had been witness to it. She wouldn't tell him what the nightmare was about before she rolled over to face the wall. He ran his hand over his face as he felt the exhaustion wash over him.

Once Dan had presented his idea and it was debated by everyone from Sleepyside, and then decided upon, they shared the idea with the IPD, Dr. Sullivan and Mr. Wilkins. After everyone knew their role in getting Honey away from the press, the rest of the day flew by while arrangements were made and supplies purchased.

As agreed, Chief Williams, along with Matt and Maddie, had made brief statements to the press explaining what happened just in time for the late news broadcast. They were flanked at the podium by Dr. Sullivan and Mr. Wilkins. At the end of their statement, Matt asked that Honey's privacy be respected, even though he knew full well that it wouldn't be. Another seed was sown.

While everyone else had been busy settling the wheels in motion, Honey took a shower, then dozed or slept through the evening. She was never alone in her hospital room. There was always one of her family or friends with her. Mr. Wilkins even bent hospital policy and allowed them all to stay well beyond the normal visiting hours.

Brian glanced at his watch and saw that it was two o'clock. He'd had to argue with the Wheelers, Jim and Trixie over whether he should stay the night with Honey or if it should be one of them. He had finally convinced everyone that he was the best person for the job because he was able to sleep anywhere, plus he wanted to keep an eye on her medically.

Frowning, he watched as she began to moan softly and move restlessly in the bed. Quickly, he crossed to the chair beside Honey's bed and dropped heavily into it. Brian reached out and placed his hand gently over hers and she quieted instantly. He watched her sleep peacefully for another half-hour before he raised his feet to the footrest and closed his eyes. Moments later he was sound asleep.

It was only six-thirty but the morning shift moved efficiently through the hallway dispensing medicine, helping patients and assisting doctors on early rounds. Trixie slowly pushed open the door to Honey's hospital room and peeked around the edge.

Blue eyes softened as she watched her brother and friend sleep.

Jim palmed the door open wider and whispered gruffly in Trixie's ear, "This is starting to get old. Two days in a row I have to find your brother and my sister sleeping in the same room, all cozy-like."

"Pot meet kettle," she whispered. The beginning of a giggle escaped before Trixie could cover her mouth with her hand to stifle the laugh.

Honey's eyes opened and she smiled sleepily at her friend. "What time is it?" she asked softly.

"Six-thirty," Trixie said quietly, so as not to wake her brother. "How'd you do last night?" she inquired as her eyes scanned Honey's face watching Jim approach the bed.

"I had a nightmare," Honey sighed.

Jim leaned to press a kiss on his sister's forehead. "I think that's to be expected, sis," he gently assured her. "You've been through a major traumatic situation. If you weren't having them, I'd be worried."

"Thanks, Jim," Honey nodded. "Why are you here so early?" she asked, yawning.

Trixie and Jim each raised up a hand holding two plastic bags. "We have clothes for you guys," Jim grinned.

"And disguises," added Trixie with a giggle.

Honey smiled as she watched her brother move in front of Brian.

Jim grasped one of the bags in both hands like one would a basketball to pass and hurtled it into his friend's chest. "Brian!" he barked as he did it.

Startled by the bag slamming into his chest and winded by the impact, Brian woke with a yelp. "Wha-", he hollered, jumping up from the chair into a defensive posture.

"Morning, sunshine," Jim grinned at his best-friend, clapping him on the shoulder. "We brought you some fresh clothes, your razor and a few other things you'll need today."

"Dammit, Jim," Brian growled, shoving his friend in the chest. "You don't need to be so rude when you wake a person up."

"Hey, I was just fooling around," Jim retorted, rubbing his chest where Brian's hand had pushed him.

"OK, boys, that's enough rough-housing," Dan chastised from the doorway, where he and Bonnie stood holding more bags. "We have a mission today and we need all our troops in one piece," he chuckled with a wink at Honey.

"How are you this morning?" Bonnie asked her friend, setting the bags down where Trixie and Jim had placed theirs.

"OK," Honey answered. "I just want to get out of here."

"Is the press still swarming outside?" Brian inquired, moving to the window to open the blinds. "Is everything in place to transfer the queen to another hive?" he asked, winking at Honey.

A soft blush stole over her cheeks. "Did you manage to get everything arranged?" she queried, pleating the blanket with nervous fingers. "We saw the press conference on the late news. Daddy and Mom did a great job."

Trixie settled herself gently at the foot of Honey's hospital bed and then looped her hair behind her ear. "There is a print press reporter, at least a cameraman from every network plus a couple of the tabloid shows both here and at your apartment." Shrugging, she clasped Honey's hand in hers. "Your parents will be here just after eight to make an entrance. Tom's bringing them in the limo and delivering Sherlock to us. We'll all roll out of here at nine. Dan's plan is perfect. It will work. We promise."

Promptly at eight, the Wheeler limo rolled to a stop at the curb in front of the hospital entrance. Matt and Maddie sat inside watching the flash of cameras go off all around the vehicle. A low growl came from Sherlock, as she sat up on the seat between them.

"It's OK, baby girl," Maddie crooned. "You'll see your mama and daddy soon."

"Maddie," Matt sighed out, rolling his eyes.

"Matthew Wheeler, you know you talk to our granddog just like I do," she admonished. "Don't you roll your eyes at me."

Matt leaned over and gave his bride of twenty-seven years a quick but passionate kiss. "Time to put Sherlock in her kennel. It's show time," he grinned evilly out the window toward the press.

"Sherlock, kennel," Maddie ordered, watching the dog jump down off the seat and then into the kennel on the opposite seat. "Good girl."

"Tom, don't forget. Jim's rental is on the other side of the hospital in the last row of the parking lot," Matt directed his long-time employee and friend. "You need to place Sherlock in the SUV at ten till nine and then make a big show of driving up to the front door on the circle drive precisely at five till. We'll bring Honey out right at nine."

"Got it, Matt," Tom answered. "Ready?" he asked, turning off the engine.

"Yes, it's time," Matt agreed, straightening his tie as Maddie checked her lipstick.

"Yes," she nodded.

Tom exited the limo and then opened the rear door with a flourish.

Matt stepped out, adjusted his dark-grey suit coat, then took Maddie's hand to help her step from the vehicle. She tweaked the bottom of the fitted jacket of her ivory skirt suit nervously when the barrage began.

"Mr. Wheeler, when can your daughter go home?"

"Mrs. Wheeler, how is young Madeleine?"

"Will you all be going back to Sleepyside?"

"Will you be taking her to a psychologist?"

Several more questions were asked while Matt and Maddie hurried to the door of the hospital where Mr. Wilkins and two of his security guards waited. Before entering the doorway, Matt turned and faced the press. "My office will issue a statement about our plans this afternoon, after we have a chance to get Madeleine home," he informed them. "We'll not make any statements until that time." He waved a hand as they slipped inside the building.

Tom Delanoy pulled the Wheeler limo up beside the large black SUV parked next to a grassy area. Jim straightened from where he had been leaning against the driver's door, waiting.

"Hey, Tom," he called, as he opened the back door. "Thanks for taking care of Sherlock for a bit," he said, opening the kennel and clipping the lead onto her collar. "Come, Sherlock," he commanded as the dog hopped out of the limo and Jim picked up the carrier. "We'll see you back home."

"Sure thing, Jim," Tom replied. "You and Trixie take care getting home," he added with a wave to the curly-haired blonde.

Setting the kennel down on the pavement by the SUV, Jim walked the brown and tan dog over to the grassy area and watched the limo pull away, as Sherlock took the last opportunity to use facilities that she'd get for a while.

At exactly five till nine, the Wheeler limo pulled into the circle drive at the main entrance to the hospital. Security guards allowed the vehicle to pass through before they stopped the press from getting closer than three-hundred feet to the door.

Tom exited the car, watching the crowd for a moment. They seemed to grow restless before his eyes, as he moved to stand by the limo's right rear door to wait.

A distant church bell began to ring the hour as the hospital's door opened to reveal the Wheeler family leaving the building. Tom saw Honey for the first time since her attack and abduction. She sat slumped in the wheelchair. Her eyes hidden by dark glasses and her honey-colored hair draped across her face. The carnelian Cornell sweatshirt she wore over her jeans seemed to swallow her body. Accompanying the Wheelers was a dark-haired man wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap, pushing Honey's chair as an orderly followed behind.

Tom moved quickly to open the rear door of the limo before stepping back a few paces. Maddie entered the car as Matt and the young man helped Honey into the vehicle before joining her. The orderly turned the chair back toward the hospital as Tom shut the rear door before jogging around the car to the driver's seat.

"Ready?" he inquired, starting the car.

"Whenever you are, Tom," Matt replied. "When you get close to the press, pull up near the barricade and stop for a few minutes," he ordered.

"Yes, sir." Glancing at his boss in the rearview mirror, Tom saw Honey, seated between her parents. As he continued to watch, she tugged at her hair and pressed her hands against her head as if in pain.

Putting the car into gear, they started down the driveway. As they neared the press corps, Tom stopped the car as directed.

A motor hum was heard as Matt powered his window down half-way and positioned his face in the opening. "Thank you all for your interest in the welfare of our daughter, Madeleine. As you have all seen, she is just fine and we are heading home. We ask that you respect her privacy and the privacy of our family as we get past this traumatic event and heal. Good day." Matt sat back on the seat before running the window closed which allowed a few lucky reporters the opportunity to click a few pictures of Honey.

"Let's go home. Please, Tom," Maddie said quietly, slipping off her shoes.

At the same time as the limo left Ithaca for Sleepyside, a black SUV sped toward the rental car return at the regional airport. Once there and the vehicle returned, the passengers took the pet carrier and luggage then boarded the waiting private jet.

Two and one-half hours later, the limo turned onto Glen Road, followed by the same two news vans that had been with them the entire way. Each side of the road near the driveway to the Manor House was full of reporters, news vans and satellite trucks. The drive itself was flanked by two Sleepyside Police cruisers. Spider Webster and Chief Molinson moved the barricades blocking the drive out of the way for the limo to pass through and proceed a short way up the drive.

A grinning Tom parked and hopped out to open the rear door closest to the road.

Slowly Matt Wheeler exited, then helped his wife out to stand at his side.

The young man who had accompanied them from the hospital came next. He removed the glasses and the ball cap he'd been wearing to reveal dark hair and chocolate-colored eyes. A grin flashed showing perfect white teeth. He turned and stuck his hand back into the limo. "Come on, babe, we're home," he chuckled.

A slim hand with unpolished short nails slid across his palm then closed around his. "Pushy aren't you," the young woman said, stepping out of the limo but leaving her hand in his. Her lightly-curled, light brown hair drifted over her shoulders in the spring-time breeze.

"Madeleine! Madeleine!" the reporters called out.

"Should we walk over and see them?" the young man asked.

"Sure, why not." she replied.

They walked hand in hand a few feet down the drive.

"What's up, press?" he called, chuckling.

"Ms. Wheeler, do you want to make a statement?"

The young woman pulled the sunglasses off her face and smiled, a twinkle in her green eyes. "Ms. Wheeler, wherever she is, does not have a statement," she replied, with a laugh.

"You!" Paul Trent yelled. "That's not Honey Wheeler," he snarled. "That's Bonnie Martin. She's a dispatch supervisor and deputy for Westchester County."

"Where's Ms. Wheeler?" a female reporter asked, shoving a microphone at Bonnie.

"She went on vacation," Dan answered for her.

"Who are you and do you have a statement about Ms. Wheeler's abduction?"

"I'm her friend, Dan Mangan. We definitely do not have a statement. Please move along. There is nothing for you here," he advised.

"Mangan, you owe us some info," Trent yelled, as the Wheelers and Bonnie re-entered the limo.

"No I don't, Trent. Why don't you go chase an ambulance," Dan suggested with a laugh and a wave out the window of the limo rolling slowly up the drive.

_Meanwhile in the air over Vermont_

"Well, Bob-Whites, I am happy to announce that we are about thirty minutes out, so if you want to settle into your seats, I'll have you on the ground by noon."

Trixie looked around the plush cabin as she continued to rub Sherlock's ears. Jim was on his cell phone, talking to his parents. Brian was pretending to nap, leaning against the window. Honey was bundled under a blanket, curled up. She had been dozing throughout the trip; her sleep fitful and restless. Trixie knew getting to the cabin would help ease everyone's mind. They weren't 100% sure their ruse had worked.

Jim turned his smartphone off and put it back in his pocket. He moved to the leather seat next to Trixie, scooped up Sherlock and placed her in her kennel. "Time to get ready for landing, puppo." Sitting down, he buckled up and took Trixie's hand in his; he wove his fingers with hers and leaned back. "Dad said the trip back to Sleepyside went well. When they pulled into the driveway, the press was there as expected. Dan and Bonnie got out of the limo and started talking to the press. It was a few minutes before Trent realized it wasn't Honey. Dad said the press went wild."

Trixie snuggled into his shoulder. "Oh, I woulda loved to see Trent having a fit. He is such a schmuck."

"Yeah, he's a weasel," Jim agreed, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Dad said Trent was fired by _The__ Sun_ last week and has gone to work for some tabloid in the city."

"I don't know what universe that could happen in," Trixie murmured as she placed soft kisses along Jim's jaw. "Who in the world would hire him to write for a tabloid?"

"There's always someone who will read one. Some people think it's exciting to be in a tabloid, Trix," he answered with one of his crooked grins, as the chimes rang signaling the landing.

After picking up the same rental SUV they'd used before and stopping to replace the groceries they had thrown out, plus buy additional supplies, the four Bob-Whites were on the last leg of their trip back to the cabin at Mead's Mountain.

"I'm glad we had the cabin reserved for the whole week and they hadn't rented it to someone else for next week," Trixie said from beside Honey in the back seat. "This works out perfectly perfect," she explained to her friend and oldest brother. "Since it's large and extremely private, we can protect against any 'inquiring' individuals that may think it'd be fun to try to get a picture of us."

"And, it has the hot tub lap pool which is super relaxing," Jim continued, winking at Trixie in the mirror. "The thing is big enough that we can all be in it. The cabin itself is secluded so we don't have to worry about nosy, pesky neighbors."

"It sounds amazing," Honey said quietly, laying her head against the vehicle's window. "I'll try out the pool after I take a nap."

Jim's worried eyes met Trixie's in the mirror. "Sure, Sis. All we want is for you to get loads of rest and get well."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Over the next few days, Honey slept a great deal of the time, either in her bedroom, on the living room sofa or a cushioned chaise in a shady area on the deck. On a few occasions, she would walk out in the yard with Sherlock or sit and cuddle the dog. Sherlock kept a constant vigil over her and never left her side.

Trixie, Jim and Brian did everything they could to try to draw Honey into a conversation. They told funny stories to make her laugh, but all she did in response was give the briefest smile. They reminisced about some of the Bob-Whites' past adventures and vacations, but she didn't join in. They even tried to get Honey to go on walks and hikes using Sherlock as an excuse to go with them, but all she would do was smile sadly and go lay down again.

Standing in the kitchen, Brain looked out the window over the sink. Out on the deck, Honey was curled up in the fetal position in one of the chairs, her head resting on her arms. He knew the sunshine was good for her, but she looked so sad and lost.

Trixie came into the kitchen. "Is she still out there? I'm worried about her, Brian." She wrapped her arms around herself as she stood next to her brother.

Brian rubbed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Honey will be OK. She's tougher than we think."

"I hope you're right," Trixie said, leaning against him. Taking a deep breath, she announced, "Think I'll go outside and sit with her for a while." She started towards the door.

Watching another opportunity slip away, Brian called out, "No, wait. Let me. I can, umm, check her cuts, to make sure they are healing." Before he could change his mind he quickly walked to the patio door and went out onto the deck.

Trixie stood, watching the delicate first steps. She didn't hear Jim walk into the kitchen, but automatically relaxed back into him when he wrapped his arms around her and leaned his head on top of her curls. "What are we watching?"

"New beginnings, I hope," she sighed. "New beginnings. It would be wonderful."

He placed a kiss on her cheek. "Well, my dear, new beginnings do not need prying eyes. If only there was something we could do for a little while, all by ourselves. Hmm, can you think of _anything_ we could do?" As they stood there, Jim's fingers were nimbly unbuttoning Trixie's blouse. He trailed his fingers sensuously up and down her bared flesh, slipping his fingers inside the lacy cup of her bra. "Can you _think_ of something we could do for a little while?" He tweaked her hardened nipple. "Cards, do you think there's a deck of cards around here?"

Turning in his arms, her blouse completely undone, she pressed her bare flesh into his muscled chest. Reaching down, she unbuttoned the top button of his jeans, running her teasing, searching fingers inside the waist band. "Do you think you're _up_ for it?" Coyly, she continued to caress him. She persisted in her quest by unzipping his jeans. "Oh Jim, the butcher block is only two feet away." She nipped his bottom lip.

"Babe, your brother and my sister are five feet away. Race you to the bedroom?" Jim suggested, rubbing his firm hands against her bottom.

"Always thinking aren't you? Don't you want to be adventurous? Run the risk? We could be quiet." Trixie traced kisses along his jaw and neck.

Pulling her completely against him, he molded her curves to his firm form. "Baby, you're never quiet. I'm thinking about contacting Lester and having the master bedroom soundproofed."

"Oh, like I'm the loud one. Let's see how quiet you can stay." She wrapped both arms around him, pressing his hardness to her core. "Shall we adjourn to the bedroom?"

"Yes, my love. We shall." Jim swung her up into his arms and walked purposefully out of the kitchen.

"Bye-bye butcher block," Trixie called quietly over her shoulder as they moved rapidly down the hallway.

Back on the deck, Brian quietly approached Honey. He sat down in the chair next to her, stretching his legs out and crossing his legs at the ankles. Leaning back, he closed his eyes and tilted his head back to absorb the warmth.

Honey opened her eyes as he sat down. She expected him to start talking immediately and was surprised when he remained silent. The cold that had permeated her body for the past day finally began to thaw. She felt the warmness of Brian's presence as surely as she felt the warmth of the sun. After a few minutes of companionable silence, Honey sat up in the chair and stretched out, mirroring Brian's stretched position.

"Brian?" Honey said softly.

A few seconds passed. "Yes," he answered gently, his eyes still closed. He looked like he was sleeping.

"Can I ask you something?"

He sat up and opened his eyes. "You can ask me _anything_."

Honey looked at him with sad hazel eyes. "How come you're just sitting there? Why aren't you peppering me with questions?"

"When you're ready to talk, you'll talk," Brian said simply. "Wanna talk?"

Honey smiled at his silly question. She took a breath to ask her own question, but stopped. Brian waited; he was very good at waiting by now. Three times she took a breath and three times she stopped herself. Finally his patience paid off. "Will you do something for me?" Honey finally asked.

Brian turned and faced her. He reached slowly for her hand, careful of the bandages. "Anything."

"OK, wait right here, I'll be back." Honey jumped up and all but bounced into the house. It was so much like her old self that Brian smiled, hoping this was the beginning of the healing.

Moments later she was back, carrying a pair of scissors. Her face was so honest and earnest; Brian would have given her the moon. "What can I do?" he asked.

She handed him the scissors, bouncing with excitement. "I want you to cut my hair."

"What?" Brian almost shouted. "Cut your hair? You have beautiful hair. Why in the world would you want me to cut your hair?"

She sank back into herself. Softly she said, "OK, that's fine. No problem."

"Honey, why do you want to cut your hair?" Brian asked again.

"Don't worry about it."

"Honey…"

"Brian, please let it go. You said no, let's just forget it."

"Honey, please tell me," Brian pleaded.

"Fine! You want to know why I want to cut my hair?" Honey flew out of her chair and stalked around the deck. "He dragged me off by **my hair** Brian, by my hair. Do you get that? I was powerless, Brian. He had total control over me. I couldn't do A THING!"

Fearing for her, Brian stood up and approached her carefully. His hands spread out in front of him; he said gently, "That makes sense, Honey. But you don't want me to cut it. I do stitches, not hairdos." He rubbed his hand up and down her crossed arms. "Are you sure you want to cut your hair? It's very beautiful." He tucked a loose strand behind her ear and wiped a stray tear off her cheek.

"Yes, I really want to cut it. I thought about it while he had me. I'd like to cut it off and donate it to charity." She stood up straight, put her shoulders back and sniffed away the last of the tears. _I am done crying over that psycho._ "That way, it can do some good. It'll grow back, if I want to, someday."

Brian took her by the hand, weaving his fingers with hers. "Come on, let's go."

His hand was strong, firm, and protective. She followed him without question. They stopped in the kitchen and picked up the keys to the SUV. Assuming Jim and Trixie were on the front porch, they walked into the living room. The front door was closed, but Sherlock was happily snoring on the couch. Honey called out, "Hey, Sherlock. Where're Jim and Trixie?"

"Honey, she's a dog. I don't think she's going to be able to tell you where they are."

"Oh I don't know about that. She's the one who told us David was the whack-job. Sherlock, where are your mommy and daddy?" Honey and Brian laughed out loud when the dog flipped over on her back and flung her front legs up. "Heavens, I don't think I want to know how much that dog knows."

"Let's go. We're on a mission. Sherlock, let your folks know we went out. We'll be back later," Brian called as he pulled Honey out the door.

Honey chuckled, "Where are we going?"

"You'll see." Brian squeezed her hand, leading her to the passenger door of the SUV. Unlocking the door, he helped her into the seat. Their eyes locked. Brian's stare was piercing, but compassionate.

Honey reached up and caressed the shadow of his beard. "You didn't shave today?"

Brian didn't move. He was afraid she'd spook like a frightened animal. "I was a little busy. Is that OK?"

She continued to stroke his cheek. "I like it. It's sexy, rugged."

His eyes were drawn to her soft, pink lips. "We call it Resident Whiskers." _Crap! Did I just say that out loud!_

"Like I said, I like it," Honey said, stretching towards him. His lips slowly descended, pressing gently against hers. Brian felt her hands nervously flutter on his arm. She strained closer to him, but he knew it wasn't the time for this.

Brian gently nibbled on her lower lip before he pulled his lips away and rested his forehead against hers. "As much as I'd love to continue kissing you," he groaned out softly. "We've got places to go." Brian placed one final soft kiss on her lips and then gently closed the door. He jogged around the hood of the SUV and hopped into the seat.

Honey's startled hazel eyes gazed at him dazed and yearning. He gently cupped her face in his palm. "Let's get going, OK?"

She nuzzled his hand. "I'm ready if you are."

"Oh, sweetheart, I think we're finally both ready." Brian winked at her, and then started the vehicle.

Honey sat back in the leather seat. She folded her hands in her lap. "So where are we going?" she asked again.

"Well, to tell you the truth, I'm not really sure," Brian chuckled. "But, I figure this is a really small town. How hard can it be to find a salon?"

Honey laughed at his honesty. It was the most beautiful sound he'd heard in a long time. She turned towards him. "Lend me your phone?"

Brian carefully reached into his front pocket and handed her his phone. Honey tapped a few keys. "Well, according to your smartphone, there is one barber shop, one salon, and a spa in Groverville, Vermont. The salon is on Main Street."

"I bet we can find that," Brian stated. He began to relax for the first time since Trixie's phone call asking about head trauma. He turned the radio on softly for background music, placing his right hand on the console between the driver's and passenger's seats.

Honey stared at his hand. It was powerful; skilled, but gentle. She knew he'd never raise his hand in anger. Taking a deep breath, she reached out, placing her left hand on top of his. Instinctively, his hand turned over and their fingers meshed. "Thanks again for helping me do this."

He squeezed her hand. "If it's what you want, I want it." They took the final turn into the small, picturesque town. As if it were an omen, there was one parking space visible, right in front of Delilah's Clip & Curl.

"Well, that's perfectly perfect." Honey took a few deep breaths. "Shall we?"

"You wish is my command, my lady." Brian turned the SUV off and walked around to open the passenger door. Honey grasped his hand, as if she were drawing strength from the physical contact. He guided her across the cobblestone sidewalk and held the door open.

Not looking back, Honey walked bravely up to the receptionist. The young woman sitting behind the counter smiled brightly, "Welcome to Delilah's. How can we help you today?"

"I, I would like to get a haircut and blow dry," Honey said. Brian looked sideways at her. _That_ wasn't her voice.

The receptionist excused herself and went to consult with a stylist; Brian tapped her on the shoulder and whispered, "What's with the 'lady-of-the-manor' voice?"

Honey giggled, leaned in and confessed. "Oh, that's my lawyer voice."

"Very effective," Brian said patting her on the back.

The receptionist returned and announced, "Delilah is able to fit you in now. She's the third chair on the left."

"Thank you. Can my friend come back with me?" Honey asked, taking Brian's hand.

"Of course, the station next to Dee is empty. There'll be plenty of room for him. Would you like some coffee, water, or a magazine?"

"No, thank you though." Straightening her shoulders, as if she was going into the courtroom, Honey squeezed Brian's hand and they walked into the mirrored room. Seeing a petite woman waiting by the third chair, she walked purposefully toward her. "Hi, are you Delilah?"

"That's me. Hear you want a cut and blow dry. How 'bout you sit right there and we'll chat 'bout what you wanna do today?" Delilah said, gesturing to the purple vinyl stylist's chair.

Honey sat down and pointed to the empty chair in the next station for Brian to have a seat. She really did enjoy coming to the salon, usually. But after her recent experience with David Roberts, her pulse rate was up and her eyes were dilated. The hairdresser took out a wide toothed comb and started to gently comb through Honey's thick tresses. "Well, tell me, what brought you to my chair?"

Never really having been in a salon before, Brian was looking around, taking it all in. He focused back on Honey and noticed she was unmoving. Knowing the power of sense memories, he knew instinctively she was beginning to relive her torment. He sat forward and gently touched her on the knee, and said, "Delilah, Honey has decided she would like to have her hair cut and donate it to charity. We didn't really research it, but I've had several pediatric cancer patients who've gotten wigs. We're hoping you can help us out."

"Oh sure, Locks of Love is the group we've worked with. The donations must be undyed, clean, and dry and at least ten inches long." Delilah explained. "Honey, I got that right, right? Honey's hair will be perfect, might be tight to get the full ten inches if you don't want to go shoulder length."

The simple physical contact with Brian brought Honey back to reality and she spoke up, "I would like to go short. Very short. I think it's called a pixie cut."

"Really? That's exciting, not many people are brave enough to go for a pixie cut. You've got great bone structure for a pixie. Wow, it is going to look awesome. You sure? It's going to be a drastic change from what you've got now." Delilah questioned, becoming very animated as she ran Honey's long hair through her fingers.

"I'm sure," Honey said, looking at Delilah in the mirror. She turned, looked at Brian and smiled brightly. "I'm ready for a change."

"OK, this is going to be amazing. Do you mind if we do a before and after photo? I like to do them when clients are doing something radical," the stylist asked, reaching into a drawer for a digital camera.

Honey looked over at Brian, and he smiled tenderly at her. "I think that would be a perfectly perfect idea," he said, pulling his phone from his pocket.

"Well then, let me put some lip gloss on first." Honey realized she didn't have her purse, "Oh no, Brian, we left my purse at the cabin. I can't believe I came here without my wallet."

"Miss Wheeler, it would be my honor to pay for your haircut, so hush up and relax again," Brian said firmly.

"Oooh, the doctor voice. I'd better listen," Honey teased.

Delilah moved to a side table and came back carrying a small tray. "I think I can help with the lip gloss. We also do make-overs, if you'd like," she said setting the tray of make-up on her station. She selected a light pink color and opened a make-up brush. "May I?"

Hazel eyes filled with tears. "That would be very nice, thank you." The horrors of the past few days were being washed away. "That is a very pretty color."

After putting on the lip gloss and having her 'before' picture taken by both Delilah and Brian, Honey's long hair was braided and secured on both the top and bottom. "Are you ready for this? No going back," Delilah joked, holding scissors at the top of the braid, ready to cut.

"Wait!"

Scissors were pulled back rapidly. "You don't want to cut it anymore?" Delilah asked in a deflated voice.

"I do, I do. I was just wondering if Brian could do the cutting," Honey said softly.

Brian was stunned. "Honey, I'm not a hair dresser, you don't want me to cut your hair. That's why we came here."

Honey giggled. "I know that, silly, I just want you to cut the braid off. I want Delilah to do the styling."

"Doctor," Delilah placed her hand over her crossed arm and teasingly handed the scissors to the shocked man. He stood up from the chair and hesitantly took the scissors.

Placing his left hand on her shoulder, soft brown eyes captured hazel in the mirror. Softly, he said, "If you're sure."

Honey reached up with her right hand and patted his hand on her shoulder. "I have never been more sure of anything in my entire life."

"OK. Here we go." Brian held the braid in his left hand and carefully cut into the dense hair. Seconds later, he was holding a thick hank of hair. "Looks like I scalped you."

Honey's hazel eyes looked enormous as Brian looked at her beautiful face in the mirror. She turned her head toward Delilah. Brian could see her eyes fill with tears. "Now I'm ready for your styling magic, Delilah."

Brian handed Delilah the braid and scissors. He returned to the chair next to Honey and grasped her hand. Honey's eyes closed as the stylist ran her skilled, soothing hands over her head.

As her hair was snipped, Honey closed her eyes and quietly said, "It feels so right to have a woman named Delilah cut my hair. Just like when Delilah cut Sampson's hair, he lost his power. This Delilah, as she cuts my hair is taking away the power that David abducting me had over my life. You bringing me here to Delilah is returning my strength and power to me. Brian, I'm grateful for it and to have you in my life."

Brian's heart beat quickened and he felt like he was filled with something pure and special as he listened to Honey's words and watched her eyelashes tremble against her cheek. Slowly, he reached with his free hand to tentatively cup her cheek. His touch was just a whisper to ensure he didn't startle her.

As the stylist faded back a few steps, Honey's eyes fluttered open. Within their hazel depths, he saw the same emotions of passion, adoration, longing and trepidation that he was feeling. "My life took on new meaning the day you came flying down the path from the Manor House. I'm grateful to have you in my life, too," he murmured before pressing a gentle kiss on her lips. "You and I will continue this later but right now we need to let Delilah finish your hair. OK?"

Honey's eyes shined bright as she nodded her head.

He turned their chairs so they faced one another. He sat down and smiled happily at the woman he had just discovered that he couldn't live without.

Delilah returned to the back of the chair grinning as Brian and Honey sat smiling at each other. Confidently, she stepped around Honey. Her scissors and comb flew as she worked to complete the cut and style.

Finally, fifteen minutes later, Delilah put down her tools, brushed away the loose hair. Her hand flicked and fluffed small tuffs of Honey's hair before she announced, "It's perfect."

Honey smiled smugly as she watched Brian's eyes release the focus on her lips to look at her hair. "Well, before I look, what do you think?"

Brian gulped as he looked at the woman of his dreams. _Oh, wow, is that sexy. Please don't let __the__ drool run down my chin when I speak. _He took her hand and solemnly said,"Sweetheart, I've never seen a more beautiful, sexy woman in my whole life."

The heat of his gaze warmed Honey's soul. It was a full minute before she broke eye contact and turned to the mirror.

Delilah slowly turned the chair so Honey could see her reflection. She nervously waited as Honey stared at herself for a time before she reached out to touch the short hair. Anxiety pulled at the stylist as her customer turned this way and that, fluffing the hair and feeling its length. Finally, Honey's face broke into a radiant smile that released Delilah's held breath.

Brian felt as if a weight was lifted from his shoulders and sunlight had broken through a cloudy sky when he saw the gorgeous smile appear.

Honey shook her head back and forth as she watched the mirror. "I love it. I feel lighter, liberated, free!"

Jim and Trixie were on the porch swing, slowly moving back and forth, her head in his lap, as he twisted curls around his fingers. "Should we be worried?" she asked, looking up. "They've been gone a while."

"I don't think so," he said, tracing circles on her cheek with his thumb. "How much trouble can they get into in Groverville?"

She rolled her eyes, raised her eyebrows and pursed her lips at him.

He placed his finger against her lips before she could say anything. "I know, I know. But I don't think they've run into an avalanche or any counterfeiters this time around."

Trixie twisted completely around so she was looking straight up into emerald green eyes. Her smart aleck response was smothered by his kiss. Her thoughts spun, her emotions whirled and skidded as his lips become more insistent on hers.

They were so caught up in one another they didn't hear the SUV pull in the driveway. Brian walked around and helped Honey from the car. Keeping her hand in his, they walked towards the front door. "I think all the unrequited teenage hormones are coming back to haunt us, Honey. These two are like rabbits."

Honey's snort in response to Brian's comment brought Trixie out of her pheromone induced stupor and she quickly sat up next to Jim. She took one look at her best friend and blurted out, "Holy crap! What did you do to your hair?"

Honey crumpled under her best friend's critique. "You don't like it?" she whispered, fingering the short bangs.

Trixie was off the porch swing and down the steps in seconds. She grabbed her friend's free hand. "NO! I **love** it. It is so cute on you." Making eye contact with Brian, she read the look of relief. "Let's go inside and you can tell me what motivated the new you."

After the girls went into the cabin, Jim got up and crossed over to his best friend. Extending his hand. "Thanks for taking care of my baby sister."

Firmly grasping Jim's freckled hand in his, Brian wrapped his left arm around Jim's shoulder, pulled him into a hug and slapped his back a couple times. "She means a lot to me. More than I ever let myself admit. I don't want to waste any more time."

"I understand. Man, do I understand. Now, don't get me wrong, this doesn't mean I'm not going to torment you from time to time," Jim said, his hand gripping Brian's shoulder.

"Right back at 'cha, Jim."

Jim turned to Brian as they walked through the doorway. "You know, Di is gonna kill you."

"Me? What did I do?" Brian asked.

Shaking his head in disbelief, Jim chuckled, "Bri, she's not going to get mad at Honey. But she might be pissed at someone over the super short new haircut and you, kemosabe, took her to get it cut. Who knows though, you might get lucky."

Honey and Trixie worked together side by side in the kitchen. They were putting the finishing touches on the side dishes while Brian and Jim grilled steaks on the deck. The radio was tuned to Trixie's favorite oldies station and she was singing along, encouraging Honey to do the same. Occasionally, Honey would join in on the chorus, a glimmer of her old self shining through.

"Should we bring the potato salad and corn on the cob outside yet?"

Looking out the window to gauge the progress on the steaks, Trixie shook her head. "Nah, looks like they're still grilling. How about some wine?"

"Dr. Sullivan said I should avoid alcohol until we're sure my brains aren't scrambled," Honey smiled wanly. "Lemonade would be great, though."

Jim watched as Honey dried the last dinner dish and returned it to the kitchen cabinet. Drying his hands on a towel, he tried once more to draw his sister out. "Honey, why don't you and I take Sherlock for her after dinner walk?" he asked, seeing her brows drawn together. "Trixie is going to finish the latest Lucy so you can start it and Brian needs to call Dr. Sellars about his schedule for when he returns to work. Please… don't make your brother go out alone."

Honey laughed softly as she folded the dish towel and placed it on the hanger. "OK, Jim. I'll go with you to protect you from the bears."

Jim clipped Sherlock's leash to her collar, kissed Trixie on the top of the head and waved at Brian who was on the phone on the deck before ushering his sister and Sherlock out the door.

They had walked about one-half mile when Honey's quiet, fidgety and frightened demeanor finally made him break the silence. Spying a stone bench along the path, he steered his charges toward it. "Let's take a rest. OK, Sis?"

"Sure, Jim," she agreed, chewing on her lower lip. "It's OK by me."

He straddled the bench facing his sister as she stood looking down the road. Sherlock sat quietly at his side. "Have a seat, Sis."

Her lips twitched with slight amusement as she copied his position and faced him on the bench.

Honey watched him cautiously from under furrowed brows. "Go ahead, Jim," she directed. "I know you and Trixie have wanted to talk about my abduction ever since we left the hospital. No one understands what I've been through and it's nothing that I can explain. The violation of it. I might as well have been raped because that is how my life feels. Like it's been raped," she raged at him. Drawing several deep breaths, she shifted her position before adding sadly, "Let's just get this over with."

Jim watched as Honey hung her head down on her chest. He passed a hand over his face as he gathered his thoughts. He softly began to speak. "Sis, I hope this makes sense but I agree with you that what happened to you is like rape. Psychological rape and torture. I know because that bastard, Jonesy, did it to me like Roberts did it to you."

"It wasn't the same, Jim," she argued.

He sat up taller and looked into her angry eyes. "Yes, it was, Sis," he countered. "I told you that Jonesy beat me and tied me to a bed for days at a time but I never told you, Trixie, Dad and Mom or anyone what all Jonesy did to me. The abuses, the degradation, stripping me of my self-esteem." Taking his sister's hand in his, Jim sighed loudly. "I don't ever want Trixie or you to go through what I did," he growled. "Just knowing what you went through at the hands of Roberts makes me want to tear him apart limb-from-limb with my bare hands," he said gruffly. "But even if I could have done that, it wouldn't have made you feel any better," he noted. "The only thing that will help you get better is the love of your family, the Bob-Whites and your friends plus a really good therapist," he finished with a wink.

"You never went to a therapist," Honey retorted, seeing him puff out his chest.

"Yes, I did," her brother declared harshly. Running a hand around his neck, he took a couple of deep, cleansing breaths. "I was under the care of a psychologist for two years."

"Oh Jim," she cried softly. "I never knew," she said squeezing his hand.

Jim cleared his throat and stood up. "Trixie and Brian will be wondering about us by now," he remarked. "Let's head back."

Honey wiped the tears away from her eyes. "Tell me what to expect in therapy, Jim."

The siblings walked along the path back toward the cabin, talking softly. Honey asked and Jim answered questions about his mental road away from Jonesy.

By the time they reached the fence surrounding the yard, Honey already seemed more confident and comfortable than she had since before the attack.

They climbed the steps to the deck and paused to watch the two Beldens work in the cabin. Trixie was filling two bowls with popcorn while Brian arranged glasses of ice and cans of soda pop on a tray. Trixie flopped down in an oversize arm chair while Brian sat at the near end of the sofa.

Jim's green eyes sparkled in the light spilling out onto the deck as he turned to Honey. "Sis, you need to remember that I was able to get past what Jonesy did to me by working with the shrink and wrapping myself in the love of our extended family. Don't shut us out. Let us help you. Don't let this event make you scared or bitter, Honey. We're all with you in this and we'll help anyway we can. You'll rediscover that life is sweet again." Hugging his sister to him, he asked, "Sis, you know that everyone loves you, right?"

She gave him a long hug, murmuring, "Yes, I do, Jim."

Jim set her away from him and held her by the shoulders. "Honey, we'll stand by you for anything except for one thing," he paused, a twinkle appearing in his eyes. He flicked her on the tip of the nose with his index finger. "You're on your own with Di over your haircut."

"Umm, maybe I should just stay here," Honey sighed, nibbling her lower lip worriedly.

"Nope," Brian said firmly, stepping through the doorway followed by Trixie who moved to stand with Jim.

Trixie wrapped her arms around Jim's waist. "Don't let Jim worry you, Honey," Trixie chided as she gently pinched his side. "Di's going to love your hair that way. It's super cute on you and besides it gets us out of that complicated up-do that she wanted that gave us headaches when we tried them out," she added with a smile.

"Yeah, this is true," Honey agreed quietly.

"The Honey Wheeler I know and lo-, er, like isn't afraid of anyone...even bride-to-be, Diana Lynch," Brian stated, capturing her startled eyes with his.

Moving to stand close to him and taking his warm hand into hers, she searched his face for a moment. "You're right, Brian. With you…all of you, and my family, I can face anything," Honey affirmed.


End file.
